Today’s Specialty Food Consumer

In 2014, 145 million people—59 percent of U.S. consumers—purchased specialty foods, according to this year’s Today’s Specialty Food Consumer Report, produced by the Specialty Food Association and Mintel International.

While those figures represent a drop from 74 percent of consumers in the 2013 report, the difference is a matter of redefinition rather than declining purchases. This year, the Association and Mintel updated the definition of specialty foods and revised the food and beverage examples used in this research to identify specialty food consumers. Foods once considered niche have moved into the mainstream, which has been reflected in the definitions. For example, Greek yogurt has been replaced by chutneys in this survey. Fine-tuning the examples used and narrowing the definition of specialty foods better illustrates these foods’ status as premium. Mintel notes that for this year, an annual sales growth of nearly 8 percent is the best reflection of the state of the industry.

Here are some top-level statistics on who is purchasing specialty foods and how they use these products, as well as a look at other attitudes, interests, and concerns. For the Summary and Full Report, please see below.

Who Buys Specialty Foods

• Core specialty food consumers defined by Mintel are:
• aged 18 to 44
• affluent, earning more than $75,000 annually
• more likely to buy specialty foods from a broader range of retailers
• the biggest weekly spenders on grocery and restaurant food
• those who spend a larger percentage of their food dollars on specialty products each week
• Within this group, 18–24s and 35–44s are the most likely to purchase the largest range of specialty food categories
• Women are more likely than men to purchase specialty food products
• Hispanics are the ethnic group with the highest prevalence of purchasing specialty foods
• Regionally, the Pacific and Mid-Atlantic regions show the highest incidence of specialty food purchases

What Do Specialty Food Consumers Buy

Consumer engagement in specialty foods is broad. At least one in five specialty food consumers have recently purchased products in each of the total 34 specialty food categories included in this year’s survey.

Chocolate, olive oil and other specialty oils, and cheese remain the top three categories purchased, with more than half of specialty food consumers buying these products. Tea is a new entrant to the top ten categories purchased this year, up from 15th place in 2013.

Where Do Specialty Food Consumers Shop

Supermarkets remain the prime location for specialty food consumers to buy specialty foods, largely due to convenience. About one-third of consumers frequent natural food stores and mass merchandisers, consistent with the past four years. Farmers markets and specialty stores are frequented by about a quarter of specialty food consumers and are likely seen as the sources of the newest and least common products.

About the Research

This research is based on an online questionnaire conducted by Mintel to explore consumption of and attitudes and behaviors toward specialty foods. Mintel and the Specialty Food Association were responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in June 2014 among a sample of 1,649 adults aged 18+ with internet access. Mintel selects survey respondents to be proportionally balanced to the U.S. adult population based on key demographics of gender, age, household income, and region.

For the survey, specialty foods were defined as foods of premium quality; that are often made by small or local manufacturers, or have ethnic or exotic flavors; foods that are distinctive.