Anne-Marie Roerink, the founder of 210 Analytics, talked to SIAL Magazine about consumer spending on groceries and food in 2021 and how their spending habits are shifting in 2022. Here’s what’s happening when it comes to grocery store sales in the United States.
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MEAT SALES
Meat consumption was thought to be in decline, but the pandemic showed where the dollar and demand for meat really sat. Meat and poultry are very favorable to consumers, beef is their #1 choice, says Roerink. Beef sales are growing the fastest and most growth in 2021.
PLANT-BASED MEAT AND PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES
In terms of dollars spent, plant-based meat hasn’t seen that much growth. Thus far, only about 10% of the consumer dollars are purchasing plant-based meat in the grocery/retail space. That number hasn’t grown in several years. It’s important to divide the data on “plants” (fresh produce), plant-based meat, plant-based dairy alternatives, and other plant-based food products. Grocers are seeing shifts in demand as many stores are over skewed in the plant-based category. There is still a lot of innovation happening in the space, especially when it comes to taste.
SEAFOOD AND FISH
Seafood has a health halo around it. Consumers feel it’s a lean protein that helps them meet their dietary needs, but also they feel it helps support their immunity. Without being able to go to restaurants, people started to cook seafood at home. Salmon and shrimp were their entry fish. For the more experienced home chefs, lobster and crab were top choices. Sales grew upwards of 60%.
PRODUCE
Consumers bought produce with long shelf lives (such as potatoes). They also bought fruit with natural vitamins to help support immunity (sales of oranges went up 60%). Berries and salad kits have seen some of the biggest growth. As inflation has started to drive up prices for fresh produce, the consumer dollar is now shifting to frozen and canned.
CONVENIENCE
Convenience has been the biggest driver of sales this year. From cutting boards to bowls to salad kits, consumers wanted things that made cooking at home easier. A year and a half into the pandemic, consumers are now wanting meal kits and easy to prep offerings.
AT-HOME FOOD EXPERIENCES
The desire to entertain and share experiences is starting to also impact convenience as we enter 2022. Making charcuterie boards is a fast-growing trend. So cheeses, aged meats, dried fruit, and products that can help them create cool platters are selling.
Consumers are also driving record sales levels of more premium items like ribeyes, crab, and artisan chocolate. Specialty foods like done-for-you simmer sauces and wild/game meat are also selling with the more experienced home chefs. In fact, Elk and Bison sales are up 600%.
WHAT’S COMING IN 2022
In 2022, inflation is impacting how consumers are spending. Also, post-pandemic stock-up behavior is still an influence on their buying behavior. It’s important to watch what is happening in each category. In 2022, the #1 thing stores, grocers, and food establishments must focus on is “delight”. Creating experiences that bring out of their homes will become critical to keep sales moving.