Whether or not inflation is ongoing, cost of living stressors have changed how consumers feel and act moving forward: 62% say they would buy more fruit if they weren’t worried about rising food costs, and 28% have changed their usual selections over the last year because of higher prices.
Luckily, fruit’s strengths present plenty of opportunities to diversify engagement. 75% are eating fruit as a snack, and consumers’ hectic lifestyles will continue to demand convenient nutrition solutions. Public health is in the background further encouraging consumer fruit intake for the sake of preventative care, especially as cost of living challenges less-comfortable consumers’ nutrition quality.
US Fruit Industry Trends
A little creativity can go a long way in extending fruit beyond simple grab-and-go snacking. Pairings that round out flavor, texture and nutrition, and allow consumers to explore new cuisines are within arms reach and require little investment on brands’ or consumers’ ends. Taking this creativity to new heights with AI assistance can create new cult followings among the ranks of pineapple on pizza.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- External factors impacting the fruit market
- Fruit purchasing decisions and consumption occasions
- Changes in fruit purchasing habits
- Consumer attitudes toward fruit
- Company and brand activity in the fruit industry
US Fruit – Report Scope
This report expands on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Produce 2023 Report. The report covers the US market for fruit, which is defined as the following: Fresh fruit – includes whole fruit (including random weight and packaged uniform weight) and fresh-cut packaged fruit; Canned/jarred fruit – shelf-stable jarred/canned fruit; Frozen fruit – bagged/boxed in the freezer section; Dried fruit – such as apricots, dates, prunes, raisins, and banana chips.
Unless otherwise noted, the following foods are excluded from the scope of this report: Fruit juices, drinks, or smoothies; Fruit jams, purees, sauces (including apple sauce) and spreads; Fruit snacks (such as fruit rolls, bars, pureed pouches); Frozen fruit novelties (even those made with 100% fruit); Refrigerated prepared side dishes that include fruit; Vegetables.
Meet The Expert
This report is written by Adriana Chychula, Food, Drink & Nutrition Analyst at Mintel. Adriana is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics from Benedictine University. She blends her interests in nutrition and consumer behavior to analyze topics within the food, drink & nutrition landscape through a research-informed lens.
Fruit already thrives in snack occasions. Creative pairings can extend its range and build new associations that benefit consumers, brands and even public health.
Adriana Chychula
Analyst – Food, Drink & Nutrition
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Consumer trends: key takeaways
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Market drivers
- We’re all connected; help consumers appreciate the full picture
- From bees to global supply chains
- Sustainability becoming more tangible, but action still an afterthought
- Inflation may be down, but it left a mark
- Public health efforts to improve consumer fruit and vegetable intake
- Graph 1: purchase motivations for healthy food, 2024
- Market size and forecast
- Inflation intertwined with fruit’s story
- Retail sales and forecast of fruit
- Market segmentation
- Variable performance reflects value calculations amid cost of living stressors
- Retail sales of fruit, by segment
- Graph 2: total retail sales and forecast of fruit, by segment, at current prices, 2018-28
- Retail sales of fruit, by segment
- Market share/brand share
- Standout performance by Mars Inc earns share, but leaderboard remains intact
- Sales of fruit, by leading companies
- Canned/jarred fruit losses across the board
- Sales of canned/jarred fruit, by leading companies and brands
- Mars Inc breaks into frozen fruit leaderboard with Trü Frü
- Sales of frozen fruit, by leading companies and brands
- Private label dried fruits spouted most significant gains
- Sales of dried fruit, by leading companies and brands
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Fruit purchase
- Consumers’ freshness, convenience priorities shine through fruit selections
- Graph 3: fruit purchase, 2024
- Younger consumers leading convenience-enhanced formats
- Graph 4: fruit purchase, by generation, 2024
- Universal preferences emerge between financial standings
- Graph 5: fruit consumption, by financial health, 2024
- Typical fruit type purchase
- Brand names, organic products subject to value recalculations
- Graph 6: typical fruit type purchase, 2024
- Organic attracting younger consumers
- Graph 7: typical fruit type purchase, by generation, 2024
- Brand more affected by financial health than organic claims
- Graph 8: typical fruit purchase, by financial health, 2024
- Fruit occasions
- Room to grow occasions outside of snacking
- Graph 9: fruit occasions, 2024
- Younger consumers enjoying DIY aspects of fruit
- Graph 10: fruit occasions, by generation, 2024
- Support entire financial spectrum with BFY snacking
- Graph 11: fruit occasions, by financial health, 2024
- Fruit associations
- Each fruit format has a time and place
- Graph 12: fruit associations, 2024
- Changes in fruit habits
- Paint a picture for consumers in-store
- Graph 13: changes in fruit habits, 2024
- Health and sustainability equally motivating for Gen Z & organic
- Graph 14: changes in fruit habits, by generation, 2024
- For those who can afford organic, health > sustainability
- Graph 15: changes in fruit habits, by financial health, 2024
- Attitudes toward fruit
- Food waste is top of mind
- Graph 16: attitudes toward fruit, 2024
- Spearhead sustainability efforts with younger consumers
- Graph 17: attitudes toward fruit, by generation, 2024
- Tech advancements can take nature beyond what is “naturally” possible
- Graph 18: attitudes toward fruit, by generation, 2024
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Subtle flavor layering can add interest
- Purposeful ingredients add dimension
- Retailers taking action toward sustainability
- AI advancements rapidly changing operations
- Personify the supply chain
- Companies and brands take “food as medicine” approach
- Home-grown GMO crops entering as tunes around genetic modification change
- Graph 19: attitudes toward fruit, 2024
- Opportunities
- Consumers just want to make the most of their purchases
- Graph 20: attitudes toward fruit, 2024
- The original BFY snack
- Get colorful
- Get creative
- Invest in food system solutions
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Sales and forecast of fruit, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales and forecast of fresh fruit, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales and forecast of canned/jarred fruit, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales and forecast of frozen fruit, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales and forecast of dried fruit, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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