According to Nielsen data, organic product sales in the US have jumped almost 9% to more than $21 billion during the 52-week period ending Nov. 24.
The top buying groups were millennials, who spent 14% more on organic foods and beverages compared to last year, and Hispanics, who spent in excess of 13% more on organics in 2018. Other demographic groups were also buying more organics, but at lower levels.
Millennials are more likely to help bolster organic sales because they want to support sustainability across the board, according to a separate Nielsen report released last month. The company said about 75% of millennials were changing their buying habits in line with environmental values, while 34% of baby boomers were doing so. Millennials are also more willing to pay more for sustainable ingredients.
Hispanics' level of organic purchases shouldn't come as too much of a surprise either because more than half of them mainly buy organic and natural products at grocery stores. More than 60% are making such purchases more than ever before, according to 2017 data from Packaged Facts.
Hispanics are especially drawn to a store's organic vegetable and fruit sections, Packaged Facts added, perhaps because of the traditional recipes they prepare that rely on those ingredients. So it seems like this increased interest in organics for both millennials and Hispanics is likely to continue.
An article on fooddive.com stresses that while organic sales seem to be doing well on their own, producers and retailers could push them ahead even more by advertising the advantages and reassuring consumers about the organic seal and what it means. The OTA plans to help things along with its voluntary "GRO Organic" checkoff-like initiative being set up this year.
