U.S. fruit market
In general, fresh fruit dollar sales in the U.S. were lead by berries in 2021 [03]. Apples and grapes had the next highest sales in the U.S. in 2021, with sales shares of 5.7 and 4.9 percent, respectively. Strawberries were by far the most popular type of berry and Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji apples were the most popular apple varieties among U.S. consumers in 2020.COVID-19 impact on fresh fruit retail
As of April 2020, consumers were far more likely to purchase frozen or shelf-stable fruits and vegetables over fresh due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Frozen blueberries saw a 25 percent sales growth compared to the previous year, whereas fresh blueberries only saw a five percent increase. Consumers were likely concerned about the shelf-life of the food they purchased. Especially since the consumer price index for fresh fruit in the U.S. rose by almost 20 points in 2021, reaching the highest price index in the last 15 years.Consumers
The vast majority of Americans use fresh produce. Over 93 percent of the population, in fact, according to a 2020 survey. Less than three percent reported not using any fresh produce at all. Bananas had the highest per capita consumption in that year, reaching over 27 pounds per person. That is almost double the per capita consumption of apples, the next leading fruit.
