Breaking Down the U.S. Market for Salad Mix
April 19, 2024 According to a study published by the American Society for Horticultural Science and shared in an e-GRO Edible Alert, the demand for salad mix and leafy greens in the U.S. is higher than ever. With the grab-and-go convenience of packaged salads, it’s easy to add greens to any American diet. In fact, the Food Marketing Institute valued the salad mix market at $10.78 billion in 2020 and expects it to grow 8.2% between 2021 and 2028.
The U.S. salad mix market is comprised of three different consumers, based on the ASHS study: deep-rooted consumers, skeptic indecisive consumers and skeptic consumers.
Deep-rooted consumers make up 36% of the salad mix market and give the most value to pro-environmental labels. This market segment is made up of urban high-income households that have more children at home and eat vegetables regularly. When looking at food labels, they tend to look for low fertilizer use, low greenhouse gas emissions and pollinator-friendliness.
Accounting for 40% of the market, skeptic indecisive consumers are the largest market segment for salad mix. These consumers tend to live in rural areas and have the highest portion of low-income households. They look for the same things on food labels as deep-rooted consumers, but don’t value low energy consumption and water use as much.
Most skeptic consumers reside in the suburban Midwest and have a low daily consumption of vegetables. This market segment has the highest portion of older consumers and medium-income households. Skeptic consumers look for low food miles, low fertilizer use and pollinator-friendliness on food labels.
This research shows that each segment of the salad mix market looks for eco-friendliness in their food labels. By emphasizing environmental benefits on their packaging, sellers of salad mix can potentially boost sales and attract deep-rooted consumers.
Read the full e-GRO Edible Alert and get more information about the ASHS study here.