“Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the produce department,” says Natalia Rangel with Fyffes North America. “In the past 12 months, 82 percent of customers purchased bananas and the fruit is liked by people of all ages, races and income levels.” Although bananas are often a fruit of choice for families with kids, in 2016 consumers without kids were more likely to buy bananas (84%) than those with kids at home (80%).“Bananas are penetrating new points of sale,” shared Rangel. “Their portability and value are making them an attractive item for convenience stores, drug stores, gas stations and cafes to offer to their consumers.”
Organic banana sales up more than 30%
Fyffes offers conventional bananas as well as organic ones, including Fair Trade Certified Organic. According to Rangel, bananas are one of the commodities with the strongest growth in the organic category. “Retailers have been developing initiatives to grow the organic category and satisfy the needs of their customers.” This is reflected in the demand for organic bananas. In 2016, sales and volume of organic bananas increased by 30.4% and 32.2% respectively compared to 2015. Organic bananas are offered in a variety of packaging options, including naked, bags and banded.
Ethnic population drives specialty banana consumption
Apart from conventional and organic bananas, Fyffes North America also offers specialty bananas that include the manzano and baby varieties as well as plantains. “The specialty categories are experiencing good growth as well,” said Rangel. “With the growing ethnic population in the United States, we are seeing more opportunities for retailers to cater to the needs of new demographics in their stores. We aim to help them identify their consumer profile, and maximize their potential on these items.” Plantains are sourced from Colombia, Guatemala and Ecuador while manzanos and babies are sourced from Colombia only.
For more information:
Natalia Rangel