Fresh Produce Sales Up In 2013

Last year, the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables rose 4.8% over 2012.

March 14, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Fresh fruits and vegetables brought in more sales last year, according to a FreshFacts on Retail report by the United Fresh Product Association. In 2013, sales of fresh produce jumped 4.8% over 2012 numbers, with supermarket produce departments averaging more than $47,000 per week for each store.

The report measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities, as well as value-added, organic and other produce categories. The 2013 report found that all of the top 10 fruits posted volume increases over last year, with the average weekly dollar sales advancing 4.5% over 2012 numbers. All of the top 10 vegetables posted increases in weekly dollar sales, too.

Among value-added fruit categories, value-added fruit and fresh-cut fruit both posted increases in weekly dollar sales, while snacking value-added vegetables posted an increase of 15% in weekly dollar sales. Avocadoes posted the highest growth in the fruit category, with dollar sales increasing 11.7% and volume increasing 10.3%. Packaged salad and tomatoes, the two top-selling vegetable categories in 2013, increased dollar sales 6.7% and 3.4%.

Recent trends show that even with increases in retail prices, volume sales continue to grow in all organic fruit and vegetable categories. The growing demand for organic produce resulted in dollar and volume increase, roughly 20% for both organic fruits and vegetables overall.

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