Locally-sourced fresh products are increasingly becoming a consumer favourite in the US, and seem to be moving ahead of organic in terms of importance to shoppers, according to new research from Mintel.
According to data from Mintel's Global New Products Database, over half of the people (52 per cent) in a recent survey of 2,000 adults reported that it is more important to buy local produce than organic options.
Further data showed that fruit products with a natural/organic claim have declined 58 per cent between 2008 and 2011, while vegetable product launches with that claim have dropped 77 per cent during the same time period.
'Natural and organic produce items aren't completely passe, but local varieties are steadily gaining ground,' said John Frank, category manager for CPG food and drink reports at Mintel. 'Interestingly enough, senior citizens are even more likely to believe that buying local produce is more important than organic.'
However, Mintel found that consumers are still not eating their recommended daily amounts of fresh produce, with 14 per cent of US consumers surveyed not eating any servings of fruit on a typical day.
'Consumers may respond well to a marketing message touting the idea that eating vegetables is a healthier way to get important vitamins than taking a pill,' Frank suggested. 'Some 81 per cent of respondents agree with that statement. Another effective marketing message could be ways to make meal salads with vegetables, as 59 per cent of respondents say they eat salads as a meal at least once a week.'
