Posts Tagged “berry consumption”
Gains in retail per capita consumption for berries have been very strong compared with many other fresh fruits, the USDA reports.
Retail per capita consumption of blueberries has increased 97% in the past 10 years, growing from 1.2 pounds in 2011 to 2.3 pounds in 2022.
Raspberries have shown even more remarkable percentage growth, gaining 192% from 0.3 pounds in 2011 to 0.8 pounds in 2021.
Strawberry consumption also continues to grow, though at a slower percentage pace compared with blueberries and raspberries. Strawberry consumption grew from 4.6 pounds in 2011 to 6.7 pounds in 2021, a gain of 45%.
Here is a list of fresh fruits, with per capita growth since 2011, as reported by the USDA.
Growth in per capita availability from 2011 to 2021: (retail per capita availability in 2021 in pounds, with the percentage change from 2011)
- Raspberries: 0.8 pound, up 192%.
- Blueberries: 2.3 pounds, up 97%.
- Limes: 4.4 pounds, up 86%.
- Tangerines and tangelos: 6.6 pounds, up 69%.
- Avocados: 7.9 pounds, up 64%.
- Strawberries: 6.7 pounds, up 45%.
- Mangoes: 3.5 pounds, up 44%.
- Lemons: 4.7 pounds, up 42%.
- Kiwifruit: 0.7 pound, up 39%.
- Pineapples: 7.5 pounds, up 38%.
- Papayas: 1.3 pounds, up 28%.
- Grapes: 7.7 pounds, up 15%.
- Total citrus: 25.1 pounds, up 14%.
- Cherries: 1.3 pounds, up 10%.
- Total fresh fruit: 131.8 pounds, up 9%.
- Total non-citrus: 106.7 pounds, up 8%.
- Bananas: 26.9 pounds, up 5%.
- Apples: 15.2 pounds, up 2%.
- Pears: 3 pounds, down 3%.
- Melons: 19 pounds, down 13%.
- Oranges: 7.9 pounds, down 18%.
- Apricots: 0.1 pound, down 21%.
- Plums and prunes: 0.5 pound, down 42%.
- Grapefruit: 1.4 pounds, down 46%.
- Peaches and nectarines: 2.3 pounds, down 47%.
As consumers continue to search for fresh produce that offers the healthiest fare available, they are increasingly turning to berry consumption.
And this trend also confirms that inclusion of berries as an active ingredient in a host of food items at home continues to grow: they are a do-not-disregard ingredient.
One of the rock stars of the berry category is the blueberry, which today is only surpassed by strawberries among consumer berry purchases. Due to their undeniable presence as a superberry and superfood, blueberries have been equally embraced by Millennials who are writing their own formulas for physical fitness as well as seniors, the generation of consumers that continues to embrace food as vehicles of nutrition carefully and naturally packaged to deliver a one-two punch.
According to Josh Borro, author of The Upshot, information released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that blueberry consumption increased 411 percent from 2000 to 2012. Strawberry consumption increased 60 percent during this time frame, and fresh raspberry consumption increased 475 percent.
Borro said that advances on the supply side, which have resulted in delivery of a superior piece of fruit farmed under optimum conditions, give consumers exactly the kinds of berries they are craving.
While the total percent increases show that Americans are loving their berries, there is a sacrificial side to the equation. According to Burro, increases in berry consumption are reflected in decreases in consumption of other fruit such as apples and bananas.
One of the factors influencing increased — and increasing -– availability of berries is the fact that these categories have been strengthened through increased plantings of superior strains in ever-growing locations around the globe. The berry industry is a global category, and consumers are able to enjoy their berries of choice regardless of the time of year as larger export volumes make their way into the United States during the domestic off-season.
Another factor that has driven berry sales is the fact that they are a perfect fruit to eat “as is.” According to the 2015 State of the Plate report issued by the Produce for Better Health Foundation, 83 percent of all fruit is eaten “as is.”