Pre-packaged salads reign in online grocery just like they do in brick-and-mortar grocery, according to the latest FreshFacts on Retail report.
The report, produced by the United Fresh Produce Association, includes e-commerce insights from 20-plus large retailers that break out their grocery delivery and pickup sales when they deliver their data to Nielsen. The trends derived from that data should be used as indicators rather than absolutes, United noted in the report.
Produce dollar sales in the e-commerce channel peaked in late April and, despite some erosion in the following months, were still holding in June at a much higher level than before the pandemic. The late-April numbers were “likely a combination of fulfillment operational realization as well as an increase in consumer adoption,” United wrote. “Various degrees of ‘reopening’ throughout May onward led to more trips to (brick and mortar) and thus some leveling off of e-comm — but still high and holding.”
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Pre-packaged salads have been a significant driver of that pickup and delivery growth.
“Salad kits were the top-selling category in both and have benefited from an increase in demand for convenient, healthy, in-home family meals,” United wrote. “The size and fridge shelf life are likely positive attributes contributing to success.
“The share of spinach salad is also notably higher online,” United wrote. “Beyond the nutritional benefits, this could be a reflection of consumer confidence in knowing what they’re going to get — i.e ripeness, size and abundance of choice not a limiting factor.”
Other top sellers in the produce category are apples, tomatoes, strawberries and potatoes. Rounding out the top 10 are bananas, avocados, grapes, blueberries and onions, per the report.
Top growth items in produce online — defined as items seeing the highest percentage change in dollars where sales are more than $1 million — are cherries, limes, corn, garlic and potatoes. Others in the top 10 are cabbage, Brussels sprouts, oranges, onions and tomatoes.
The entire FreshFacts on Retail second-quarter report can be downloaded from the United Fresh website.
