Organic Foods Continue to Grow in Popularity

Americans choose organic products for quality, flavor, environmental Impact, perceived health benefits

“Two Years After organic standards were enacted, more than half of Americans have tried organic foods.”

According to the 2004 Whole Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker* survey released in October 2004, more than one-quarter of Americans (27 percent) are eating more organic products than just one year ago. A mere two years after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented the National Organic Standards and mandated clearer labeling of organic products, the survey also reveals that more than half of Americans (54 percent) have tried organic foods and beverages and nearly one in 10 use organic products regularly or several times per week.

“The survey results echo national sales trends, with recent reports indicating organic food sales hit $10 billion and 20 percent sales growth last year,” said Margaret Wittenberg, Whole Foods Market vice president of governmental and public affairs. “When I started in the natural foods industry more than 25 years ago, most organic items were in the produce aisle. But today, the selection stretches throughout the store from farm-fresh produce to handcrafted pastas, cereals, dairy products, wines, cheeses, chocolates, grains, vinegars and almost every product imaginable. The sheer variety and the increasing number of organic products available allows our customers to find almost any organic product to fit their lifestyle.”

The primary barrier to trying organic products is still price; almost three-quarters (73 percent) believe organics are too expensive. However, with the growth of the organic foods industry, prices are becoming more competitive as the availability and variety increase. Whole Foods Market’s private label, 365 Organic (Everyday Value line), is the first line of all value-priced organic products in the United States. Introduced in 2002, the 365 Organic line now includes almost 200 products ranging from pantry items and frozen vegetables to snacks and fresh produce.