Organic Sector Grows 6.4% in 2017

More of America’s grocery carts were filled with organic products in 2017. The Organic Trade Association’s 2018 Industry Survey shows consumers were buying everything from organic produce and organic ice cream to organic fresh juices and organic dried beans.  U.S. organic sales totaled a new record of $49.4 billion in 2017, up 6.4% from the previous year.  That total also reflects new sales of nearly $3.5 billion.

Sales of organic non-food products also rose to $4.2 billion, rising 7.4% higher to set a new benchmark. The growth rate of organic food sales was below the 9% pace in 2016. It was impacted heavily by markedly slower growth in the big organic dairy and egg category. However, the pace was still well above that of the overall food market, which was 1.1%. Organic increased its penetration into the total food market, now making up 5.5% of all food sold in the retail channel.

Laura Batcha, Organic Trade Association President, said, “Organic has arrived and everyone is paying attention. Consumers are loving organic and now we’re able to make organic choices in just about every aisle in the grocery store.”

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