Retail Industry Insights
Agriculture Trend Watch: Aquaponics
With limited land available for agriculture as well as heightened interest in conserving nature resources like water, new types of agriculture – both plant and animal – are emerging. As consumers become more savvy in their knowledge of these options, retailers are increasing product offerings from new agriculture methodologies. Today’s article explores one of these methodologies – aquaponics.
Dietitians can Leverage Unique Demand Patterns for Top Fall Foods
The nation’s biggest-selling plant-based fall foods – nuts, apples, pumpkins, cranberries and cranberry sauce - have the nutrition, distinctive tastes, and close association with special days such as Halloween and Thanksgiving to be tabletop perennials. Yet customer demand for each varies widely during the 12 weeks ending at Thanksgiving: dollar sales, scale and fresh vs. packaged splits move to their own distinct weekly rhythms, as revealed by Nielsen data.
Category Review: Dry Grocery Dominates Autumn Spice Sales
Produce may be the showpiece department of food retailers, but when it comes to spice sales in the fall season, the dry grocery aisle is consumers’ go-to place to buy. Spice dollar sales there far outpace fresh spice sales from the produce department.
Simplify Shoppers’ Search for Functional Foods
A growing body of science continues to uncover the properties in food that can promote health. Whether it’s beta-glucan in oats, antioxidants in berries, probiotics in certain fermented foods, or omega-3s in fish, more people are looking to maximize the nutrition they get from food to help support their healthy lifestyle.
Inside the Consumer State of Mind: Insights from Trust Barometer & What it Means for the Retail RD
The way in which consumers digest news and make purchasing decisions is largely impacted by the political landscape, media headlines, and world events. As a retail dietitian, it is important to understand the consumer state of mind to communicate effectively and create successful promotional programs.
Navigating Seafood Sustainability
Shoppers today want to know where the seafood they are purchasing has come from, if sustainable practices were used and if farmed seafood is safe. Unfortunately, perceptions about seafood farming are not keeping pace with the positive state of aquaculture science. The Seafood Nutrition Partnership provides the following insights to assist with understanding sustainable seafood practices and options:
Understanding the Auto Pilot Shopper
My local grocery store recently went through a remodel. Even thought it’s been a few months now since the remodel completion, I still can’t find items when I shop. They’ve moved. All the aisles are reconfigured and products are now shelved differently. I find myself annoyed, seeing grocery shopping as more of a chore than ever before.
Helping Shoppers Navigate the Plant-Based Foods Trend
Eating habits across America continue to shift, with a recent Nielson survey showing that 39% of the population is actively trying to eat more plant-based foods. FoodNavigator-USA lists “plant-based innovation” as a top trend for 2018 (1). Food companies are responding with an increasing number of plant-based products taking up their fair share of the meat and dairy cases.