Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/986636
S4 STATE OF THE SPECIALTY FOOD INDUSTRY 2018 MILK BURGER PLANT -BASED PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA Almond MILK ice cream bar Dairy Free ice cream bar Dairy Free SPECIALTY FOODS—WHAT IS SELLING NOW? Plant-based categories dominate the top four spots in terms of specialty foods' share of the total market. THE SPECIALTY FOOD INDUSTRY 0 2 4 6 8 12 10 Specialty food categories are growing in unit sales as well, which gives a truly accurate look at the market's health. Unit sales verify specialty foods' reported growth and the trends driving it. Fresh and health-focused are the fastest growing catego- ries, based on unit sales. Again, water is a standout with 60.3 percent unit sales growth. Other leaders include refrigerated juices and functional beverages and frozen desserts, the latter likely driven by movement in dairy-free alternatives. Refriger- ated pasta and hot cereals also jumped in unit sales, while their shelf-stable counterparts, like pasta and cold cereals, are in decline or flat. TOP 10 CATEGORIES WITH HIGHEST MARKET SHARE Refrigerated Meat Alternatives $157 $162 97.0% Shelf-Stable Plant-Based Milk $207 $235 88.0% Refrigerated Plant-Based Milk $1,276 $1,598 79.8% Tofu $81 $103 78.4% Non-RTD Tea $1,006 $1,828 55.0% Refrigerated Salsas & Dips $1,240 $2,257 55.0% Refrigerated Condiments $429 $884 48.5% Wellness Bars & Gels $1,249 $2,651 47.1% Refrigerated Pasta & Pizza Sauces $43 $93 46.4% Refrigerated Pasta $194 $451 42.9% Specialty Market 2017 Total Market 2017 % of Total Market Refrigerated, aka fresh, is a clear consumer demand as well and a place where shoppers are seeking out specialty brands. Nutritional value or nutrient density is important to today's specialty food consumers, and they equate those attributes with fresh. "The producer has become the most relevant in the supply chain. As categories like local and organic grow, the supplier is going to continue to be more relevant." RETAIL DOLLAR SALES RETAIL UNIT SALES 11.8% 12.9% Source: Mintel/SPINS/IRI Source: Mintel/SPINS/IRI