“Regardless of the pandemic, and in some methods due to the pandemic, [2020 was an] superb 12 months for us … with complete trade gross sales rising 12.7% to $256b,”​ New Hope’s senior VP and market chief Carlotta Mast stated yesterday at Pure Merchandise Expo East in Philadelphia.
She defined to in-person and digital occasion attendees that a lot of that surge was as a consequence of final 12 months’s pantry loading and model exploration as a consequence of restricted provides of extra acquainted merchandise and a want to carry one thing new into their houses.
However, she added, as the specter of the pandemic eases demand for pure and natural items stays robust whilst gross sales development slows.
The pandemic “continues to positively impression the trade at present. Individuals tried these new manufacturers, and in lots of circumstances they caught with them, particularly these throughout the meals and beverage classes,”​ she stated. “As well as, well being and wellness in supporting our immune well being turned prime priorities for us in the course of the pandemic, and this continues to additionally persist and assist develop our trade in 2021.”​
The trade’s gross sales in 2021 are projected to develop 6.6% to $271b, which is slower than 2020 however nonetheless has the phase on monitor to surpass $300bn in gross sales by 2023 – suggesting the estimated $9bn gross sales development attributable to the pandemic final 12 months was just the start, and can proceed to elevate trade gross sales over the following three years and past, Mast stated.
A “main contributor”​ to the pure and natural trade’s development was meals and beverage, which drove greater than 70% of the trade’s complete gross sales in 2020 and stays a robust driver in 2021, Kathryn Peters, government vice chairman of SPINS, stated on the convention.

She defined that pure and natural and useful meals and drinks are on monitor to achieve $200bn by 2022 – outpacing “in a reasonably vital method complete US meals and beverage gross sales.”​
She added pure and organic food and beverage gross sales are rising about 7% in 2021 – decrease than the 9% development final 12 months, however nonetheless notably larger than the 5% in 2019 earlier than the pandemic.
“We aren’t anticipating that to drop again anytime quickly,”​ Peters stated.
Regardless of trade leaders’ optimism for the pure and natural trade going ahead, Mast cautioned stakeholders to not take client curiosity of their phase with no consideration – however reasonably, she stated, they should proceed to innovate and provide merchandise that meet evolving client demand.
For instance, whereas immunity-boosting claims might have drawn many shoppers into the phase previously 18 months, what’s going to maintain them engaged are merchandise that assist sleep, stress and kids’s well being – all of which stay ache factors regardless of vaccination choices for adults.
Peters famous that trade already is innovating to satisfy these wants. Within the beverage phase, SPINS is monitoring a 51% improve in immunity boosting claims with elderberry, echinacea and camu camu main the way in which. Likewise, she stated, relaxation and destress claims are up 36% with elements comparable to CBD, melatonin, theanine and valerian. Lastly, the usage of adaptogens, together with chaga and rishi mushroom, ashwaganda, maca and holy basil, is up 32%, she stated.
Peters additionally famous that as shoppers more and more embrace the thought of meals as medication they’re turning to standard merchandise for the advantages they as soon as sought within the dietary complement aisle.
For instance, gross sales of ashwaganda in meals are up 129.5% to $8.4m within the 12 months ending Aug. 8, 2021. In the identical interval, SPINS discovered gross sales of tremendous mushrooms up 16.1% to $420m, moringa up 14.7% to $2.5m, elderberry up 96.5% to $16.3m and MCT up 50.7% to $146m.
Alongside elevated demand for useful elements is an ostensibly insatiable want for plant-based choices, in line with SPINS information.
“I hear folks typically say, I don’t wish to hear any extra about plant-based, however it’s nonetheless on fireplace,”​ Peters stated, noting that gross sales of plant-based merchandise within the 52 weeks ending Aug. 8 are up 12.8% to $6.4b. That is outpacing the 4.2% year-over-year improve of meals and beverage extra broadly.
Peters attributed the plant-based pattern’s ongoing power to client perception that the merchandise are higher for his or her our bodies and the planet.