The importance of fresh produce continues to increase as consumers move toward living healthier lives, become more knowledgable about the food they eat and learn to incorporate nutrient-rich foods into their meals.
With this comes the popularity of superfoods, and spring is when grocers should put foods such as kale, quinoa, blueberries and chia seeds in the in-store spotlight, according to new research from Nielsen.
Not only are superfoods found in the produce department, but other sections of the store as well. Chia seeds, for example, "were found in 23% of categories across the whole store, growing from 21% of categories last year," says Nielsen.
Superfoods can be found in non-food items such as liquid soap and vitamins, which also provides consumer packaged goods companies the opportunity to leverage the trend in their in-store communications.
(Click to enlarge)
"Food and beverage manufacturers should find new ways to incorporate—and label—the presence of nutrient-dense superfoods, regardless of whether their product sits in the perimeter of the store or throughout the aisles," says Nielsen.