Fruit and Vegetables - Ireland - March 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Issues covered in this Report
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Frozen fruit and vegetables
Canned/ambient fruit and vegetables
Dried fruit
Potatoes in all forms
Excluded
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Figure 1: Estimated total fruit vs. vegetable retail sales (including fresh and processed), IoI, 2014-18
Forecast
Figure 2: Indexed estimated total fruit vs. vegetable retail sales (including fresh and processed), IoI, 2014-24
Market factors
NI consumers facing higher produce prices
Five a day to improve mental health
One in 10 a flexitarian
Over half would support a plastic ban for produce
Companies and innovations
The consumer
Fresh bagged and loose fruit used most
Figure 3: Types of fruit that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Frozen finds more favour with vegetables
Figure 4: Types of vegetables that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Potatoes most used type of produce
Figure 5: Types of potatoes that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Supermarkets key outlets for produce
Figure 6: Where consumers buy their fruit and vegetables, NI and RoI, January 2019
Irish fruit and vegetables highly desired
Figure 7: Agreement with statements related to fruit and vegetables, NI and RoI, January 2019
What we think
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Fruit and vegetable sales increase on flexitarian trend
Strong consumer price growth in NI
Strong recognition of benefits of five per day
Flexitarian/vegan trend benefits fruit and vegetable sales
Need for more eco-friendly packaging
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Continued flexitarianism and looming Brexit boost sales value
Figure 8: Estimated total fruit and vegetable retail sales (including fresh and processed), NI and RoI, 2014-24
Vegetables continue to account for the largest segment
Figure 9: Estimated vegetable retail sales (including fresh and processed), NI and RoI, 2014-24
Fruit expected to see strong value growth from 2019-24
Figure 10: Estimated fruit retail sales (including fresh and processed), NI and RoI, 2014-24
Figure 11: Selected types of snack food that consumers have eaten in the last two weeks, NI and RoI, June 2018
MARKET DRIVERS 
2018 sees continued growth in produce prices for NI/UK
Figure 12: Consumer Price Indices of vegetables (including potatoes and tubers) and fruit, UK (including NI), 2015-19
Figure 13: Agreement with the statement ‘I am worried that I may not be able to get certain fruit and vegetables after the UK leaves the EU’, NI and RoI, January 2019
RoI experiences vegetable price rise in late 2018
Figure 14: Consumer Price Indices of vegetables (including potatoes), RoI, 2015-19
Consumers recognise benefits of getting their five a day in helping physical and mental health
Figure 15: Agreement with the statement ‘I don’t think it is necessary to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day’, NI and RoI, January 2019
One in five Irish consumers on reduced meat or meat-free diet in 2018
Figure 16: Selective diets that consumers currently adhere to, NI and RoI, June 2018
Packaged fruit and vegetables at risk from increasing environmental trend
Figure 17: Environmental and ethical issues most important to consumers, NI and RoI, November 2018
COMPANIES AND INNOVATIONS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Birds Eye and McCain seeking to move towards healthier potato snacks
Disputes with third parties hamstring Irish fruit companies
Environmental concerns starting to take centre stage for fruit and vegetable brands
WHO’S INNOVATING? 
Vegetables leading new product development
Figure 18: New products launched in fruit and vegetables market, UK and Ireland, 2014-19
Marks & Spencer has launched the most new fruit and vegetable products
Figure 19: Top 10 companies launching new fruit and vegetable products, UK and Ireland, 2014-18
Environmental claims populate the top ten
Figure 20: Top 10 claims made by new fruit and vegetables products launched in UK and Irish markets, 2014-18
Brands could consider switching to bio-plastic packaging
Figure 21: Top 10 packaging material used by brands in new fruit and vegetables product launches, UK and Ireland, 2014-18
COMPANIES AND BRANDS 
Birds Eye
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Florette
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Fyffes
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Green Giant
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Keeling’s
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Kraft Heinz
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Mash Direct
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
McCain Foods
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Princes Group
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Total Produce Plc
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Valeo Foods
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
2 Sisters Food Group
Key facts
Product portfolio
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Strong usage of bagged and loose fresh fruit
Fresh vegetables continue to dominate
Potatoes most-used type of produce
Discounters more important channel to market in RoI
Irish fruit and vegetables highly desired
USAGE OF FRUIT PRODUCTS
Strong usage of bagged and loose fresh fruit
Figure 22: Types of fruit that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Bagged fruit more prevalent with parents and married consumers
Figure 23: Consumers that buy bagged fruit in a typical week, by marital status and presence of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2019
Loose fruit sees greater usage among mature age groups
Figure 24: Consumers that buy loose fruit in a typical week, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 25: Consumers that buy loose fruit in a typical week, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2019
Frozen fruit sees strong use among women and parents
Figure 26: Consumers that buy frozen fruit in a typical week, by gender and presence of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2019
NI consumers strong users of RTE fruit
Figure 27: Consumers that buy fresh ready-to-eat fruit portions (eg apple slices) in a typical week, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
USAGE OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTS 
Fresh vegetables continue to dominate
Figure 28: Types of vegetables that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Affluent consumers show greater usage of fresh vegetables overall
Figure 29: Types of vegetables that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Frozen vegetable usage higher compared to fruit
Figure 30: Consumers who buy frozen fruit vs. frozen vegetables in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
NI consumers more likely to buy tinned baked beans
Figure 31: Consumers that buy tinned baked beans in a typical week, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 32: Consumers that buy baked beans in plastic pots/tubs (eg snap pots) in a typical week, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
USAGE OF POTATO PRODUCTS
Bagged potatoes most bought type of vegetable overall
Figure 33: Types of potatoes that consumers buy in a typical week, NI and RoI, January 2019
Bagged potatoes see universal high usage
Figure 34: Consumers who buy fresh loose vs. fresh bagged potatoes in a typical week, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 35: Consumers who are responsible for the main grocery shop in their household, by gender, NI and RoI, September 2018
WHERE CONSUMERS BUY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES 
Supermarkets key channel for produce
Figure 36: Where consumers buy their fruit and vegetables, NI and RoI, January 2019
Supermarkets used most among those aged 55+ in RoI
Figure 37: Consumers who claim to buy most of their fruit and vegetables from a supermarket, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 38: Consumers who claim to buy most of their fruit and vegetables from a discounter, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 39: Usage of selected retailers for main weekly grocery shopping, NI, September 2018
Discounters see greater usage with women and less affluent consumers
Figure 40: Consumers who claim to buy most of their fruit and vegetables from a discounters, by gender and social class, NI and RoI, January 2019
ATTITUDES TOWARDS FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Irish-sourced produce in high demand
Figure 41: Agreement with statements related to fruit and vegetables, NI and RoI, January 2019
Mature consumers show strongest desire for local produce
Figure 42: Agreement with the statement ‘I think supermarkets should provide more Northern Irish/Irish sourced fruit and vegetables where possible’, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 43: Top five factors that are important to consumers when shopping for food and drink in specialist/artisan food stores, NI and RoI, September 2018
Four in five making greater effort to eat more produce
Figure 44: Agreement with the statement ‘I am currently trying to eat more fruit and vegetables’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2019
Figure 45: Agreement with selected statements relating to ‘5 a day’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2019
Consumers want more information about growers
Figure 46: Agreement with the statement ‘I would like to see more information about the grower on fruit and vegetable packaging’, by age group, NI and RoI, January 2019
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Market size rationale
Data sources
Consumer data sources
Abbreviations