Organic sales in the U.S. totaled a new record of $49.4 billion in 2017, up 6.4 percent from the previous year, according to the Organic Trade Association. The organic food market hit $45.2 billion in sales, also breaking through to a new record for an increase of 6.4 percent, while sales of organic non-food products rose 7.4 percent to $4.2 billion.
Fruits and vegetables continued to be the largest organic food category, recording $16.5 billion in sales in 2017 on 5.3 percent growth. The organic dairy and egg category had one of its most challenging years in 2017. While still the second-largest selling organic category, sales of organic dairy and eggs grew just 0.9 percent to $6.5 billion. Organic beverage sales rose 10.5 percent to $5.9 billion, making beverages the third-largest organic category. The driver in beverages was fresh juices for which sales jumped almost 25 percent to $1.2 billion and continued a multiyear double-digit growth streak.
Source: Specialty Food Association
