News

Consumption of fresh food up 20% in past decade

December 9, 2014

A new report from The NPD Group, called "The Future of Eating: Who's Eating What in 2018?" shows that the consumption of fresh foods – fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and eggs – grew by 20 percent from 2003 to 2013.

The younger generations – Generation Z (ages 0-23) and millennials (24-37) are driving this trends, according to a news release from The NPD Group. The research projects that all three main meal occasions will continue to get fresher within the next five years.

Breakfast is the main meal at which fresh food consumption is forecast to grow the most, an increase of 9 percent by 2018, based on the NPD report. Fresh food consumption is also expected to grow 7 percent at lunch and 5 percent at dinner.  The additional prep and cooking that some fresh foods require isn’t an issue for Millennial and older Generation Z consumers who want more involvement in preparing their meals, the research firm said.

Fresh foods, like fruits, will also be a key factor in the growth of ready-to-eat better-for-you snacking within the next five years.  NPD Group says younger diners are looking for values like fresh or nutrition when it’s time to "grab something in a pinch" instead of just grabbing anything for speed. Convenience increasingly involves more better-for-you snacks as part of a meal or consumed between meals. 

In addition to eating more fresh foods, Generation Z and Millennial consumers are also interested in eating more organic foods. The interest in organics that was poised to take off in 2008 was stymied by the recession, but several trends indicate that interest in organic labels remains strong among the youngest generations but drops off dramatically after Gen Z and Millennials.  Economic pressures, plus the idea that "it's too late for me" may be contributing to the reduced interest among older generations, according to the report.

"Generation Z and millennials are driving changes in this country’s eating behaviors with their approach to food choice and preparation," said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst, in the release. "Foods on the store's perimeter will benefit from this increasing interest in fresh, and manufacturers of center of store items and retailers can take advantage of the 'fresh' trend by considering innovative ways to link their products to fresh foods."