Fresh Food

The vegetables category experienced positive growth in Vietnam in 2023, particularly in the institutional and foodservice sectors. With a 100% vaccination rate amongst children by the end of 2022, more parents were allowing their children to stay in…

Despite expectations for deflationary trends as markets continue to emerge from post-pandemic conditions, fresh vegetables continue to experience rising costs. Labour, transportation, and raw materials, as well as global socioeconomic unrest, have…

Retail volume sales of vegetables in the UK continue to decline in 2023, primarily due to severe product shortages. For instance, there was a major shortage of vegetables in February and March 2023. For several weeks, products such as tomatoes,…

The level of awareness among local consumers regarding the importance of adopting healthy diets and lifestyles is growing in the United Arab Emirates. Therefore, many local consumers are gaining a greater interest in incorporating fresh vegetables…

Vegetables in Thailand saw a notable and sustained increase in unit prices throughout 2022 and 2023, primarily attributed to the combined impact of drought and severe flooding. Drought conditions have resulted in reduced water availability for…

Amidst surging prices, consumer consumption of fresh vegetables witnessed a heavy decline in retail volume terms in 2022. This price escalation varied across different product categories, with tomatoes standing out as one of the most affected.…

The impact of inflation has not spared vegetables, with the latter also experiencing further steep price increases in 2023. With affordability being a key priority for South Africans, one of the ways to offset these increases is by choosing to…

Unfavourable climatic conditions significantly affected tomato, onion, and maize production in 2023, leading to decreased yields and a subsequent drop in supply. This scarcity propelled prices upwards, prompting the government to enforce restrictions…

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 placed a huge strain on the global economy. With Russia and Ukraine being key suppliers of a wide range of goods from fuel to fertilisers and wheat this led to high rates of inflation worldwide. These…

Overall demand for vegetables in Japan continues to increase in 2023, mainly driven by the more impressive performance by foodservice. Like many other categories of fresh food, foodservice sales of vegetables in Japan suffered significant declines at…

2022 was a difficult year for the vegetables category, as there was a drop in volume terms resulting from several factors, including a high rate of inflation and rising energy costs. The high rate of inflation led to an increase in vegetable prices,…

Vegetables is set to see low total volume growth in India in 2023. However, the rate of increase is expected to be slower than seen in previous years, as although most categories have been seeing rising sales, the strong decline in sales of tomatoes…

Marking a notable shift in consumption patterns, retail demand for vegetables in Germany declined in 2023. Ongoing economic challenges and inflationary pressures remained an obstacle for many consumers when it came to purchasing fresh produce at the…

Total volume growth in vegetables remains relatively stable, albeit flat in the light of price rises, as certain products such as onions and tomatoes are staple ingredients in French cooking. However, the consumption of summer vegetables has been…

In 2022, the distribution of vegetables was adversely affected by the ongoing impact of pandemic-related restrictions in China, resulting in disruptions to various purchasing channels, including foodservice and institutional establishments, and…

In 2023, the Brazilian agricultural market witnessed distinct dynamics in producing different vegetables. For onions, a sharp decline in prices was seen, due to an expanded cultivation area and high availability. Consumers benefited from more…

Rising costs across various fronts—labour, transportation, weather-related challenges, and raw materials—have significantly influenced prices of vegetables in 2022 and 2023. Adverse weather conditions have also impacted the supply of fresh produce…

In 2023, amidst challenging economic conditions, there was a noticeable decrease in local consumers dining out compared to the pre-COVID-19 era. However, the sugar and sweeteners industry experienced a healthy increase in volume sales, particularly…

While 2022 saw an easing of retail volume declines for sugar and sweeteners, at-home demand continues to fall in 2023. The category is being increasingly influenced by a combination of health trends as well as economic pressures. Despite continuing…

Following two consecutive years of double-digit declines, retail volume sales of sugar and sweeteners continue to fall in 2023. Droughts caused the cultivation campaign to be delayed in 2022, which negatively impacted sugar beet production.…

Although there are many initiatives to reduce sugar consumption, demand for sugar and sweeteners continues to grow in the United Arab Emirates. Sweets and desserts are culturally important in the United Arab Emirates, as they are often associated…

Hikes in production costs have pushed up prices of sugar and sweeteners in Thailand. Retail prices rose throughout 2023, continuing a trend that began at the outbreak of COVID-19. Thailand's farmers and agricultural producers were threatened by the…

Sales of sugar and sweeteners in Spain continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, albeit at a far more modest rate than in the previous two years. Although sugar and sweeteners saw positive growth in current value terms in 2023 this was…

South Africa’s sugar industry has struggled in recent years due to a combination of poor local production, impacted by loadshedding and flooding, as well as elevated international sugar prices, caused by climatic factors such as drought. While…

Sugar and sweeteners in Morocco showed a modest growth rate in total volume sales in 2023, reflecting its proximity to maturity. This slow growth trajectory can be attributed to the increasing health consciousness prevailing among Moroccan consumers,…

Sales of sugar and sweeteners declined in retail volume terms in 2023, continuing a long-term trend that was only temporary halted in 2020 by the outbreak of COVID-19. Sugar has gained an increasingly negative image in terms of its effect on health,…

Total demand for sugar and sweeteners in Japan remains stable in 2023 compared to the previous year, with foodservice volume sales partially offsetting the decline in retail volume sales. Foodservice volume sales had suffered throughout 2020 and…

The sugar supply chain in Italy had to face various problems related to costs and raw materials in the last two years of the review period. Firstly, the production costs of sugar are already high due to the need to use advanced technologies to…

Sugar and sweeteners is expected to see continued total volume growth in India in 2023. Meanwhile, retail current value growth is expected to be significantly higher than retail volume growth, primarily due to retail price increases as a result of…

In 2023, retail volume sales of sugar in Germany ceased their declining trajectory and stagnated. Since the at-home baking trend peaked in 2020 and supported category growth following previous declines, 2023 witnessed sugar consumption levels…

Sugar consumption continues to fall in France in retail terms, with sales otherwise supported by foodservice and institutional volume, alongside value being supported by inflationary price hikes. Local production in the 2022/2023 season was…

In 2023, the performance of sugar and sweeteners, like other fresh food categories, is being influenced by the post-pandemic scenario, leading to reduced home consumption and an increase in foodservice volumes, with the latter driving overall demand.…

The year 2023 was marked by a unique dynamic in the sugar market in Brazil, characterised by significant changes in prices, production, and consumption of the sweetener. Throughout the 2023/24 sugarcane season, the average prices of crystal sugar…

Sugar is struggling in 2023, due to a combined series of factors. To start with, prices have been steadily rising in sugar. Global supplies have been seeing a reduced output from the UK and Europe, as sugar beet crops have been impacted by extreme…

In 2023, an increased awareness of the importance of health and wellness contributed to the rise in demand for starchy roots in Vietnam. The nutritional advantages of eating these foods, such as high-quality carbs, dietary fibre, and crucial…

While strong foodservice growth continues to fuel starchy roots, retail volumes are fluctuating. Notably, potatoes continues to see declining retail demand, signifying a longer road to recovery than previously hoped for. Disruptions to the harvesting…

Extreme weather conditions in 2022 and 2023 have had an impact on the production of starchy roots in the UK and around the world. Droughts and hot weather occurred in 2022, while a wet spring and summer delayed the campaign for starchy roots in 2023.…

The United Arab Emirates has a very diverse population, whereby potatoes are an important ingredient used in numerous dishes. Potatoes are the most consumed form of starchy roots in both retail and foodservice. Supported by a growing population in…

The unit prices of starchy roots increased significantly throughout 2022 and 2023 due to constant rises in the costs of production and unfavourable weather conditions throughout the year. Like other fresh food categories, the farming and production…

After seeing a steep decline in sales in retail volume terms in 2022 due to inflation and a shift towards more budget-friendly and convenient alternatives like frozen potatoes and ready-to-eat tortillas, the consumption of starchy roots displayed…

Potatoes are a staple for many South Africans, comprising 95% total volume share of starchy roots. Therefore, a reduction in supply and price hikes are impacting local consumers. The supply of potatoes declined in February 2023 to the lowest…

Potatoes continue to hold a dominant position, accounting for almost all starchy root consumption in Morocco. Integral to Moroccan cuisine for an extensive period, potatoes feature prominently in various dishes such as Niçoise salad, tajines, and as…

Potatoes account for most sales of starchy roots in Mexico with these being used in a broad range of dishes, with consumers perceiving them to be healthy ingredients that provide satiety. Furthermore, they are frequently consumed as a side dish. The…

Total demand for starchy roots in Japan continues to improve in 2023, mainly driven by foodservice and retail channels. Like many categories of fresh food, foodservice volume sales of starchy roots experienced significant declines at the height of…

In 2022, volume sales of starchy roots declined in the Italian market. Meanwhile, from a production point of view, yields had been lower than expected and investments had been made. The main cause was the effects of climate change, with the weather…

Starchy roots is set to maintain slow and stable total volume growth in India in 2023, with increases expected by all measures. Potatoes remains by far the dominant category within starchy roots, but is set to see the slowest rate of growth in 2023.…

Starchy root consumption in Germany experienced another year of decline in 2023, reflecting market dynamics and dietary trends affecting the category. The evolving dietary habits of consumers in Germany were one of the factors influencing this shift.…

The hot summer of 2022 led to a drop in the French potato harvest for the 2022/2023 season, with a decline in the yields from French growers. Whilst imports made up the shortfall in demand, the situation meant that prices have risen significantly in…

In 2023, as local consumers return to more normal lifestyles, total volume sales of starchy roots are starting to recover from the previous year’s disruptions when pandemic-related restrictions in China were still in place, which negatively impacted…

In 2023, the starchy roots market, primarily represented by cassava, experienced positive growth. Supply was robust at the start of the year, with a notable increase in cassava production in various regions due to farmers' interest in…