The North American food market is apparently missing the mark in terms of sales potential within the Fairtrade grocery category.
Speaking to FoodNavigator-USA.com following a recent report from Spins revealing US sales of Fairtrade-certified groceries rose by 24 per cent in 2010, certification body Fair Trade USA said double-digit growth is likely to continue for at least the next two to three years.
“We’ve barely scratched the surface if you look at the potential range of ingredients that are supplied from developing countries, from new oils, nuts and grains to dried fruits, lentils and chickpeas,” explained Fair Trade USA director of business development, grocery and ingredients Cate Baril.
Ms Baril predicts a steady stream of new certified foods and ingredients will be available on the North American market by the end of this year.
“We’re also looking at coconut milk, coconut water and other coconut-based ingredients and processed banana. With that you can then see baby food, yogurts, smoothies and ice creams containing the processed banana following suit,” she noted.
Fair Trade USA claims the smaller brands are still driving the growth in Fairtrade groceries across North America.
But, Ms Baril added that industry giants such as Walmart and Costco have also developed private-label Fairtrade coffee and other products accounting for large volumes of raw materials.
