Organic produce sales and volume edge up again in Q3

For the second quarter in a row, organic fresh produce grew slightly in year-over-year sales and volume in the third quarter of 2023, according to the Q3 2023 Organic Produce Performance Report issued by Organic Produce Network and Category Partners.

Overall, organic fresh produce dollar sales and volume increased by 2% and 1.9%, respectively, for Q3 2023 compared to the same period last year, with sales for the quarter topping $2.44 billion and volume movement at 733 million pounds. Conventional produce dollar sales and volume showed similar year-over-year gains, with sales up 2.4% and a volume increase of 1.8%.

In a period of continued inflationary pressure, price increases in each segment were considerably less compared to the past two years. Conventional produce average price per pound grew by 0.6% compared to the third quarter of 2022, while organic pricing per pound rose by a mere 0.1%. Overall, the average price per pound for the total produce department increased by only 1 cent compared to the same period last year.

“The growth in organic produce volume slightly outpacing conventional produce reflects the continued consumer interest in healthier and sustainable food choices, reaffirming the vitality of the organic industry in today’s market,” said Tom Barnes, CEO of Category Partners. “It’s also heartening to see organics making a comeback after grappling with inflationary pressures in recent years.”

In the third quarter of this year, 15 of the top 20 organic fresh produce categories posted increases in dollar sales compared to the same period last year.

Source: Organic Produce Network

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Organic & Non-GMO Insights December 2023