Category update: Meat cooking with fireCategory update: Meat cooking with fire

Meat🐑: We can’t overlook the role of fresh lamb in the meat sector’s strong January. Fresh lamb pound sales rose by 10.3% year over year, topping the 7.9% increase recorded by fresh beef. Processed chicken and hot dogs led the processed meat category with year-over-year pound gains of 15.5% and 10.3%, respectively

Seafood🐟: Seafood also got off to a strong start this year, with all three categories—fresh, frozen, and canned—showing year-over-year increases in pounds. Despite a 2.2% price increase in January, total fresh seafood showed a 0.5% rise in pounds sold compared to January 2024, with finfish leading the way (+1.7%). Ambient seafood performed slightly better, with a 1.1% increase in units sold year over year, and ambient tuna led all categories with a 3.5% spike. Frozen seafood also finished above water for January, with a 0.4% year-over-year increase

Produce🫐: Produce had some victories in January, such as frozen fruit and vegetables showing an 8.1% year-over-year increase in units sold. However, the category was flat in terms of pounds, and shelf-stable fruit declined in both units and pounds. Mangoes, berries, kiwis, and oranges were the top performers for fresh fruit in January

Bakery🥐: Bakery continues to be a challenge for grocers. Unit sales were down in January. Perimeter bakery showed a 0.4% increase year over year in units sold, but aisle bakery fell by 2.6%.

Refrigerated and frozen🍳: The price of eggs has caused panic among many consumers, but refrigerated food still recorded a 3% increase year over year in units sold. Cottage cheese had a 14.5% increase in units sold compared to a year ago, and whipped toppings (+8.4%) and yogurt (+7.5%) were also popular buys. Frozen processed meat/poultry was the go-to item in the freezer section as unit sales increased by 6.8% year over year

Deli😃: Deli-prepared food sales continued their growth pattern in January. The category registered a 2.5% increase in units sold versus a year ago, with prepared meats showing an 8.2% gain. The deli department was up 1.9% in units sold year over year in January. Deli entertaining showed a solid 4.3% increase in pounds sold, including a 15.2% bump in trays. Deli meat, however, suffered a 6% drop in pounds sold in January. Service meat was down 10.1% year over year

Plant-based meat alternatives❌: After several months of single-digit declines in dollars, units, and volume, plant-based meat alternatives showed some momentum in January with double-digit year-over-year increases in dollars, units, and volume. The category is still struggling, as refrigerated plant-based alternatives suffered a 22.9% drop in dollar sales. Pound sales in January fell to 3.1 million, after reaching a high of 62 million pounds in 2020

The top frozen species was shrimp, with a 2.8% gain. The price of shrimp also dropped 1.8% compared to last year

Mangoes registered an astonishing 162.9% year-over-year increase in pound sales, while kiwi saw a 34% increase. Melons, however, dropped by 19.6%

Croissants led perimeter (up 6.3% in units year over year) and aisle (up 13.9%). Specialty desserts had the biggest decline, with a 16% drop in units sold year over year

Frozen turkey (+14.5% in units sold), frozen chicken (+11.6%), and frozen processed chicken (+8.6%) were the leaders in the frozen food section

Deli cheese was the top performer for the month, as pounds sold jumped 5.9% year over year, led by specialty cheese (+10.2%)

Ground veal outperformed grinds in January, with a 15.9% increase in pound sales year over year, but ground lamb saw a stark 29.7% decrease