Almost every fresh food category represented in our annual category guide posted dollar sales gains during the latest 52-week period.
But scratch beneath the surface, and it's evident that most of those gains are the result of rising prices. Volume is flat or down in many areas, and cost-conscious shoppers are selecting the least expensive option when price differences become stark. For example, prices have been trending up for almost everything in the meat department, helping push dollar sales of poultry up 22% and sales of pork up almost 14%. By comparison, beef's price increases were offset by declining volumes. The category grew only 1.7%.
Please note: For the first time, the Fresh Market section of this year's SN's category guide features deli, fruit, vegetable, beef, pork, poultry, in-store bakery and seafood data provided by The Perishables Group, West Dundee, Ill. Dairy-aisle data for milk, natural cheese, yogurt, refrigerated juices and beverages, lunchmeats, breakfast meats and eggs continue to be provided by Chicago-based SymphonyIRI Group.
FRESH MARKET KEY CATEGORIES
| SUPERMARKET DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DAIRY AISLE | |||
| Milk | $10.6B | 5.6 | |
| Natural Cheese | $7.5B | 3.6 | |
| Yogurt | $4.2B | 7.9 | |
| RFG Juices/Drinks | $4.2B | 1.4 | |
| Luncheon Meats | $3.5B | 3.3 | |
| Breakfast Meats | $3.3B | 9.0 | |
| RFG Fresh Eggs | $3.2B | 4.7 | |
| PERISHABLES | |||
| In-Store Deli | $14.5B | 5.7 | |
| Vegetables | $12.9B | 3.6 | |
| Fruits | $12.4B | 2.8 | |
| Beef | $11.2B | 1.7 | |
| Poultry | $7.3B | 22.0 | |
| In-Store Bakery | $6.7B | 2.2 | |
| Seafood | $4.1B | -1.7 | |
| Pork | $3.2B | 13.8 | |
Click on categories for individual profiles.
Milk
While dollar sales of total fluid milk are up across all retail venues, unit sales declined during the 52 weeks ending June 12, continuing a trend that has persisted for the past several years, according to the SymphonyIRI Group. In U.S. supermarkets, dollar sales of all fluid milk were up 5.6%, but unit sales dropped almost 2% from a year earlier. Whole milk bore the brunt of the decline, down 5.1% in unit sales.
What is a bit surprising is that unit sales of low-fat and skim milk are also down — by just under 3% — a much bigger drop than last year. Rising retail prices could be stalling consumption, but there are other factors, Ed Jesse, professor emeritus, agriculture and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin, told SN.
“There's a lot of competition, a lot of substitutes like soy milk, juice drinks, bottled water,” Jesse said. That trend is borne out in the “refrigerated kefir/milk substitutes/soy milk” subcategory, which posted double-digit gains in both units and dollars two years in a row. Unit sales for the most recent 52-week period were up 17.5%.
Milk prices have been on a roller coaster ride at the farm in recent years, hitting record lows and record highs. That looks likely to continue in the near term. Jesse foresees a 4% drop in milk production being posted for July due to prolonged heat waves in the farm belt.
“Cows just don't milk well when there's weather like that.”
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $10.6B | 5.6 |
| Drug | $445.2M | 8.3 |
| F/D/Mx | $11.4B | 6.12 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $12.0B | $10.2B | $10.4B |
| Drug | $510.2M | $405.1M | $429.4M |
| F/D/Mx | $12.8B | $10.8B | $11.1B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| RFG Flavored Milk/Eggnog/Buttermilk | $719.5M | 5.0 |
| RFG Kefir/Milk Substitutes/Soy Milk | $581.2M | 16.0 |
| RFG Milkshakes/Non-Dairy Drinks | $47.9M | -5.7 |
| RFG Skim/Lowfat Milk | $6.8B | 6.0 |
| RFG Whole Milk | $2.5B | 2.9 |
Natural Cheese
The natural cheese category enjoyed a boost of 3.6% in dollar sales during the 52-week period ending June 12, with shredded, sliced and string cheese all posting gains of more than 5%, according to data from SymphonyIRI Group. That's after two years of small dollar sales declines due to lower pricing. Unit sales were flat for the dairy-aisle cheese category during the latest 52 weeks, but other venues are now helping to push the category forward. For example, drug stores, while working from a very small base, showed an 11% increase in unit sales, and 13.2% in dollar sales.
“A lot of us are surprised cheese sales have stayed so strong, with wholesale prices going over $2,” Bob Cropp, dairy market specialist, at University of Wisconsin, Madison, told SN. “Meat prices, though, have been high, and historically we see people eating more cheese when beef prices are up. And people are still eating more of their meals at home. That helps.” Although specialty cheeses are not tracked here, several supermarket retailers said that category fared well during the recent recession. At Ohio-based Jungle Jim's International Market, an official told SN earlier this year that the company's cheese shop showed double-digit growth during each of the past two years, and the shop is one of the top five contributors to total store sales. And Kroger, reflecting its success with specialty cheese, continues to curry its partnership with Murray's Cheese, New York, rolling out Murray's store-within-a-store concepts to additional locations.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $7.5B | 3.6 |
| Drug | $15.2M | 13.2 |
| F/D/Mx | $7.7B | 4.0 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $7.5B | $7.4B | $7.3B |
| Drug | $12.4M | $13.1M | $14.3M |
| F/D/Mx | $7.7B | $7.5B | $7.5B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Natural All Other Forms | $80.4M | 12.4 |
| Natural Chunks | $2.4B | 0.6 |
| Natural Crumbled | $232.5M | 6.5 |
| Natural Cube | $52.2M | -7.0 |
| Natural Shredded Cheese | $2.6B | 5.6 |
| Natural Slices | $961.7M | 5.5 |
| Natural String Cheese | $612.7M | 5.8 |
| RFG Grated Cheese | $92.0M | -0.1 |
| Ricotta Cheese | $190.6M | 2.3 |
| SS Grated Cheese | $263.6M | -0.1 |
Yogurt
Yogurt sales just keep growing. During the past few years, yogurt has managed to make itself a $4 billion-plus category, with supermarkets showing steady sales gains each of the last four years despite rising prices.
In 2008, supermarkets saw a 12% increase in dollar sales, contrasted with flat unit sales as new, value-added products helped justify price increases to many items in the category. And, sales have stayed strong. Apparently recession-proof, yogurt, in its burgeoning number of varieties and forms, looks like it's here to stay. This year, dollar sales in supermarkets were up 7.9% off of strong pricing and a 2.1% increase in unit sales according to the SymphonyIRI Group.
Consumers' ongoing quest for healthier items — as yogurt is perceived to be — coupled with their ongoing need for convenience, spells a good sales future for the category in most retail venues. Even drug stores had a 14% boost in dollars sales in the most recent 52-week period.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $4.2B | 7.9 |
| Drug | $7.2M | 14.3 |
| F/D/Mx | $4.4B | 8.8 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.7B | $3.8B | $10.4B |
| Drug | $7.8M | $6.5M | $429.4M |
| F/D/Mx | $3.8B | $3.9B | $4.2B |
Supermarket sales of refrigerated juice rose 1.4% to reach $4.2 billion during the 52 weeks ending June 12, according to the SymphonyIRI Group. Unit sales have posted modest gains in the 1% to 3% range during the past three calendar years, but rising prices appear to have stalled volume growth, which slowed to less than half of 1%.
RFG Juices/Drinks
Orange juice accounts for more than half of the category's sales. Last winter, freezes in Florida pushed orange juice futures to their highest level since April 2007, forcing some suppliers to announce price hikes. Prices eased in March after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its estimate for the 2011 Florida orange crop, but shoppers remain sensitive to price fluctuations. Volume sales of orange juice have fallen more than 3% as price increases have taken effect.
By contrast, the drug store channel continues to enjoy both volume and sales growth with refrigerated juice, albeit from a small base. Orange juice sales there rose 9.2% to reach $52 million during the latest 52 weeks. Unit sales were up 6.6%.
In the supermarket channel, refrigerated lemonades, smoothies and fruit drinks were all $200 million-plus categories that continued to demonstrate strong growth, with sales up 10%, 15% and 7%, respectively.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 13, 2010 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $4.2B | 1.4 |
| Drug | $76.5M | 9.7 |
| F/D/Mx | $4.4B | 2.2 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2007 DOLLAR SALES |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $465.1M | $439.0M | 423.4M |
| Drug | $575.5M | $580.5M | 586.3M |
| F/D/Mx | $1.3B | $1.3B | $1.3B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| RFG All Other Fruit Juice | $47.7M | 4.0 |
| RFG Apple Juice | $38.1M | -3.9 |
| RFG Blended Fruit Juice | $279.4M | 14.9 |
| RFG Cider | $63.0M | 0.9 |
| RFG Fruit Drink | $656.3M | 6.9 |
| RFG Grapefruit Juice | $76.4M | 1.2 |
| RFG Juice and Drink Smoothies | $220.4M | 14.9 |
| RFG Lemonade | $322.2M | 10.1 |
| RFG Orange Juice | $2.4B | -0.7 |
| RFG Vegetable Juice/Cocktail | $38.6M | 11.1 |
Luncheon Meat
Slowly rising prices have led to a slow decrease in unit sales in the packaged luncheon meats category. During the latest 52-week period ending June 12, supermarket dollar sales of packaged lunch meats rose 3.3% to reach almost $3.5 billion, despite a 1.7% decline in unit sales, according to the SymphonyIRI Group.
This trend has persisted for several years. During 2008, rising prices led to 1.5% dollar growth, offsetting a 3% decline in units sold. In 2009, sales were up 1% despite a 2.5% decline in units. Last year, unit sales were flat, declining 0.6%, but sales still rose 1.3%.
Flat performance in this category may seem somewhat counterintuitive. The recession has led many shoppers to begin cooking more at home. Sandwiches made for brown-bag lunches would seem like another logical way to save money when a family is looking for ways to trim their food budget.
But, those sales may be migrating to supermarket delis, where sandwich and prepared food sales have continued to rise recently.
Aggressive promotions in the quickservice restaurant sector, such as Subway Restaurants' long-running $5 foot-long sandwich promotion, could also be taking a bite out of potential volume growth for packaged lunchmeats.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.5B | 3.3 |
| Drug | $14.1M | 20.5 |
| F/D/Mx | $3.6B | 3.8 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.3B | $3.4B | $3.4B |
| Drug | $9.2M | $10.6M | $13.0M |
| F/D/Mx | $3.4B | $3.5B | $3.5B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| RFG Non-Sliced Lunchmeat | $146.6M | 2.7 |
| RFG Sliced Lunchmeat | $3.3B | 3.3 |
Dollar sales may be up, but the breakfast meats category took a hit during the latest 52 weeks as consumers cut back on the Sunday morning staples in response to higher meat prices in a still-recovering economy. Factors such as soaring feed and transportation costs, production cutbacks by suppliers and increased demand abroad for U.S. meat, have contributed to elevated prices in most meat categories.
Breakfast Meats
These price pressures resulted in a 9% increase in dollar sales of bacon and sausage, pushing the category to almost $3.2 billion during the 52 weeks ending June 12, according to data from the SymphonyIRI Group. While prices were on the rise, volume sales dipped 7%. Of the two breakfast meats, bacon was impacted the most with volume sales down 8.7% and dollar sales up 9.9%.
The volume sales dive continues the trend of decline from the 2010 calendar year, which saw a 5.3% drop.
As shoppers become adjusted to the sticker shock and the economy stabilizes, volume sales could improve. As recently as 2009, the category had a 4.7 increase in volume sales coupled with a 3.5% dollar sales increase.
And, given the cyclical nature of meat production, supplies will be abundant if the price of animal feed ever returns to more historic norms.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.3B | 9.0 |
| Drug | $8.9M | 12.6 |
| F/D/Mx | $3.4B | 9.3 |
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $2.9B | $3.0B | $3.2B |
| Drug | $8.1M | $8.1M | $8.3M |
| F/D/Mx | $3.0B | $3.1B | $3.2B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| RFG Bacon | $2.4B | 9.9 |
| RFG Breakfast Sausage/Ham | $973.1M | 7.0 |
RFG Fresh Eggs
The recent rise in egg prices hasn't scared away supermarket shoppers. Despite rising prices, volume sales were essentially flat, falling only two-tenths of a percent during the latest 52 weeks ending June 12, according to data from SymphonyIRI.
Dollar sales rose 4.7% as prices were pushed higher, partly by rising feed costs. The small decrease in volume shows an improving market compared to calendar year 2010, which resulted in a 2.5% volume sales decrease and 1% dollar sales increase.
With the significant price increases in the meat department and more people participating in meatless Mondays, supermarket consumers are continuing to rely the egg category for its affordable protein.
The steady egg market hasn't extended to the drug store channel. There, volume sales have dipped more than 10% and dollar sales have gone down almost 3% during the latest 52 weeks.
| CALENDAR YEAR |
2008 DOLLAR SALES |
2009 DOLLAR SALES |
2010 DOLLAR SALES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.6B | $3.1B | $3.1B |
| Drug | $35.8M | $26.5M | $28.5M |
| F/D/Mx | $3.7B | $3.2B | $3.2B |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.2B | 4.7 |
| Drug | $28.3M | -2.7 |
| F/D/Mx | $3.3B | 5.1 |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 12, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Egg Substitutes | $214.0M | 1.9 |
| Fresh Eggs | $3.0B | 4.9 |
In-Store Deli
Supermarket delis enjoyed a 5.7% sales boost to reach more than $14.5 billion during the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, according to The Perishables Group. Bulk meat was the top seller in the department, with supermarkets averaging sales of $4,547 per store, per week in the subcategory. Prepared chicken continued to dominate prepared food sales, with in-store delis selling an average of $3,114 per store, per week. Prepared salads and sandwiches followed, with sales of $2,276 and $1,427, respectively.
In their July newsletter, The Fresh Perspective, The Perishables Group noted deli sandwich and prepared food sales tend to index high or very high among families with kids younger than 6 and “transitionals” or young consumers in any household size who don't have children.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen provided by The Perishables Group represents approximately 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $14.5B | 5.7 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $22,228 | $22,050 | $21,581 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk Meat | $4,547 | 672.0 |
| Deli Salads | $2,276 | 556.1 |
| Deli Sandwiches | $1,427 | 303.3 |
| Prepared Chicken | $3,114 | 638.3 |
| Specialty Cheese | $2,792 | 362.4 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
Vegetables
Vegetable sales were up 3.6% to reach more than $12.9 billion during the latest 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, according to The Perishables Group. Rising prices were responsible for some of these gains. Where the fruit category has had prices rise for some popular items and fall for others, vegetable prices have faced more consistent upward pressure.
This trend has led to declining volume sales for many items, as shoppers watched their grocery budgets. During the first quarter of 2011, for example, vegetable prices were up 8.4% compared with the same period a year earlier. Most popular vegetables were affected, with 18 out of 19 top vegetable categories facing increases in everyday prices, according to “FreshFacts on Retail,” a quarterly report published by the United Fresh Produce Association using Perishables Group data. But, volume sales declined 2.1%, resulting in a dollar sales increase of 6.1%.
In a sign that convenience and ease of preparation remain important to shoppers, packaged salads led vegetable category sales, averaging $2,883 per store, per week. Tomatoes were the second most popular vegetable, averaging $2,644 in weekly sales per store.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group represents approximately 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $12.9B | 3.6 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $18,361 | $18,741 | $20,455 |
Fruits
Supermarket fruit sales grew 2.8% to reach more than $12.4 billion during the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, according to The Perishables Group. Year-round availability, larger and more variable pack sizes and the ongoing popularity of superfoods have all been factors helping berries maintain their position as the top seller in the fruit category.
Berries sold a national average of $3,134 per store, per week, followed by apples, bananas, grapes and citrus, with each selling between $2,492 and $2,224 per store, per week.
Price variability may be leading cost-conscious shoppers to swap out pricier fruits for items with greater perceived value. For example, in the first quarter of 2011 the average retail price of grapes fell 13.6%, compared with the same period a year earlier, and volume sales rose 16%. A 7.6% decline in berry prices help push a 15% increase in volume.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group, represents approximately 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $12.4B | 2.8 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $21,055 | $15,896 | $17,653 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | $2,492 | 1731.1 |
| Bananas | $2,439 | 4082.4 |
| Berries | $3,134 | 1177.9 |
| Citrus | $2,224 | 2103.7 |
| Grapes | $2,243 | 1257.3 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
Beef
It's been a challenging year for beef. Dollar sales rose 1.7% to reach almost $11.2 billion, during the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, according The Perishables Group. However, that growth was inflationary. Volume sales have continued to decline as prices rise and shoppers search for deals.
In a recent interview with SN, Trevor Amen, manager of channel marketing for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said that the organization was seeing value shoppers fall into two distinct camps. Some watch for specials and buy in bulk when the price is right, while others lack the disposable income to stock up. Bargain bundles are one good strategy for the former, while offering smaller pack sizes and alternative cuts are a potential strategy for the latter.
Ground beef remained, by far, the most popular subcategory, averaging $6,406 in sales per store, per week. Loin cuts and rib cuts followed, averaging $2,463 and $1,771 in weekly sales per store, respectively. Round cuts and chuck cuts/roasts completed the top five.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group represents approximately 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $11.2B | 1.7 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $17,213 | $16,001 | $17,015 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck | $1,487 | 449.6 |
| Fresh Ground Beef | $6,406 | 2133.4 |
| Loin | $2,463 | 327.0 |
| Rib | $1,771 | 276.0 |
| Round | $1,633 | 472.3 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
Poultry
Poultry sales have risen sharply during the latest 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, posting 22% growth to reach almost $7.3 billion, according to The Perishables Group.
Poultry has been going through a prolonged period of price inflation, as suppliers cut back production to mitigate rising input costs. However, poultry's lower price relative to other proteins has helped the category maintain stable volume sales despite rising prices.
Chicken breasts remained the largest subcategory, with sales of $4,410 per store, per week. Ground turkey, whole chickens, chicken legs/drumsticks and chicken wings rounded out the top five, all with sales between $776 and $703 in weekly sales.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group, represents approximately 63% of national ACV share.
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breasts | $4,410 | 1618.9 |
| Chicken Legs/Drumsticks | $749 | 697.6 |
| Chicken Wings | $703 | 318.6 |
| Ground Turkey | $776 | 262.3 |
| Whole Chickens | $775 | 669.9 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $10,382 | $11,939 | $10,983 |
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $7.3B | 22.0 |
In-Store Bakery
In-store bakery sales grew 2.2% to reach almost $6.7 billion during the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, according to The Perishables Group. These gains were driven largely by price inflation, as rising ingredient costs forced bakeries to raise prices on many items.
Cakes continued to be the top-selling single category for supermarket bakeries, with national sales averaging almost $2,900 per store, per week. The bread and rolls categories combined for an average of $3,046 per store, per week, while cookies and doughnuts rounded out the top five sellers.
In an analysis published in conjunction with Spire LLC, the Perishables Group noted that shoppers average 12 annual trips to in-store bakeries, and 92% of U.S. households bought an in-store bakery item last year. But, only 12% of those trips result in multiple purchases.
To boost incremental sales, the Perishables Group suggested that retailers consider new merchandising assortment strategies, shopper traffic flow, product rotation in promotions, and product mix-in ads.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group, represents approximately 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $6.7B | 2.2 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $9,663 | $10,489 | $9,990 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Breads | $1,966 | 886.5 |
| Cakes | $2,872 | 423.0 |
| Cookies | $982 | 293.4 |
| Doughnuts | $741 | 573.9 |
| Rolls | $1,080 | 771.8 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
Seafood departments have faced a difficult year, but appear to be holding steady. During the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, national department sales declined 1.7% to about $4.1 billion, according The Perishables Group. Rising prices depressed category volume during a time when even many middle-class shoppers are still looking for ways to save money.
Seafood
The total fin fish category led sales, averaging $2,257 per store, per week. Shrimp followed with $1,654 per store, per week, while other prepared seafood, crustaceans and mollusks contributed $878, $737 and $293 per store, per week respectively.
In a recent consumer survey conducted by The Perishables Group, 82% of shoppers who claimed to be purchasing more fresh seafood than they did a year ago said that they were doing so because they were trying to eat healthier. Of shoppers who said they were purchasing less seafood than a year earlier, a corresponding 82% said that they were doing so because of cost. The rising price of gas and other foods has worsened the situation.
FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group, represents about 63% of national supermarket ACV share.
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $6,050 | $5,759 | $6,634 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Crustaceans | $737 | 86.6 |
| Fin Fish | $2,257 | 345.7 |
| Mollusks | $293 | 52.2 |
| Other Prep. Seafood | $879 | 162.1 |
| Shrimp | $1,654 | 198.3 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $4.1B | -1.7 |
Pork
Pork sales grew 13.8% during the latest 52 weeks ending May 28, 2011, to reach almost $3.3 billion, according to The Perishables Group. Like beef and poultry, these gains were driven by price inflation, due to rising input costs and supply cutbacks from producers.
During the second half of 2010, pork prices were rising even faster than beef prices on a percentage basis. But, that trend has reversed in recent months, and pork has continued to benefit from its position as a lower-cost protein relative to beef, as cost-conscious shoppers look for savings in the meat department.
Pork loin cuts dominated category sales, with U.S. supermarkets averaging $3,227 in sales per store, per week during the latest 52 weeks. Side cuts, shoulder butt, value-added pork and offal pork made up the remainder of the top five, with weekly sales averaging $391 to $230 per store. FreshFacts data powered by Nielsen, provided by The Perishables Group, represents approximately 63% of national supermarket all commodity volume (ACV) share.
| 52 WEEKS ENDING MAY 28, 2011 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $3.3B | 13.8 |
| 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q4 | 2011 Q1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | $5,037 | $4,684 | $4,999 |
| SALES* | VOLUME* | |
|---|---|---|
| Loin | $3,227 | 1114.6 |
| Offal Pork | $230 | 138.6 |
| Shoulder Butt | $338 | 176.2 |
| Side | $391 | 164.3 |
| Value-Added Pork | $230 | 49.1 |
*NATIONAL AVERAGE PER STORE, PER WEEK
