BOULDER, Colo.--June 1, 2006 /Natural Newswire via Business Wire/ -- American shoppers spent more than $51 billion on natural and organic products in 2005, according to research published in the 25th Annual Market Overview in the June issue of The Natural Foods Merchandiser. NFM (www.naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com) is the leading trade magazine serving the natural and organic products industry and is read by more than 15,000 retailers, industry leaders and trend watchers each month.
Natural products sales increased 9.1 percent across all retail and direct-to-consumer sales channels. Most sales -- 80.9 percent -- came from the natural retailing and mass market channels. In natural products stores, food sales grew 12.1 percent, and all but one of the food categories tracked by NFM had double-digit growth. Organic food sales grew 15.7 percent. Supplements sales rose 8.2 percent, and natural personal care sales increased 12.1 percent.
Natural Products retailers saw organic fresh meat and seafood sales grow 67.4 percent in 2005 to $114 million. Organic nutrition bars, beer and wine, other beverages and foodservice all posted growth of more than 30 percent. Organic pet products grew 37.5 percent to $65 million.
More facts about one of the nation's fastest-growing consumer segments may be found in The Natural Foods Merchandiser's Market Overview, which provides the most comprehensive current data on retail sales of natural and organic foods, personal care products and supplements.
The Market Overview is produced jointly by The Natural Foods Merchandiser and its San Diego-based sister publication, Nutrition Business Journal, a leading source of market research and strategic business information for manufacturers and suppliers in the nutrition industry.
To learn more about the naturals industry, register at www.naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com for a free Market Overview Webcast, to be held July 26 at 2 p.m. EDT. NFM Editor in Chief Marty Traynor Spencer, Senior Editors Bryce Edmonds and Laurie Budgar, and NBJ Research Manager Katja Rauhala will discuss the results and answer questions. The Webcast will be sponsored by Natural Factors.
About New Hope Natural Media
New Hope Natural Media is a division of Penton Media Inc. (OTCBB:PTON), a diversified business-to-business media company that provides high-quality content and integrated marketing solutions to more than a dozen industries.
Contacts
New Hope Natural Media
Marty Traynor Spencer, 303-998-9352
mtraynor@newhope.com
