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VOLUME 86 • NUMBER 8 AUGUST 2021 • $7.00 • Global Natural Sweeteners Market Shows No Sign of Souring
B U S I N E S S
N E W S P A P E R
• MYX Launches Lower Calorie, Single-Serve Wines PAGE 6
• New Beverage Products Soaked Market During Pandemic PAGE 8
• Famed Nashville Brands Team Up PAGE 8
• Jabil Reimagines Water Bottle PAGE 10
• Salmon Cultivating Facility Begins Operations PAGE 10
The global coronavirus pandemic brought innumerable uncertainties into the world, but one thing is certain: Our world has changed permanently, everywhere. We’ve gone from “We’re all in this together,” to “How do we all deal with this together?” The global food shopping market depended on online sales as people socially distanced and quarantined. And now that restrictions are being lifted, shopping trends are changing. During the pandemic, about half of grocery shoppers began buying online and picking up items at a store, but only half of
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• Editor’s Picks PAGE 24
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In a country where the foundation of democracy talks about the “pursuit of happiness,” how refreshing is it when nine out of 10 people surveyed said fresh food makes them happy? As with so many of our current trends, the fresh food frenzy was driven higher by the pandemic, with providers deemed essential workers. The findings late last year by Deloitte’s fresh food consumer survey have held true and the
Companies Monitor Events in Afghanistan
those plan to continue buying that way, according to a new report by ChaseDesign. Although online shopping might be slowing, it’s not fading away, according to a new report posted on www.researchand markets.com, “Online Grocery: Grocers Meet the Challenge of Digital Demand, But Can They Do It at a Reasonable Cost?” Online grocery growth outpaced the rest of the e-commerce segment during the pandemic, the report said, but growth will remain strong. Shoppers want to be in control, according to the report, with 54 percent saying they prefer to pick
out items in person and 40 percent wanting the experience of shopping in person. Consumers also complained about the online/pickup experience because of product availability, quality, missing items and wait times. Shoppers also tended to avoid some of the most profitable categories from retailers. Nearly half said they wouldn’t buy meat or seafood; 40 percent wouldn’t buy dairy, produce and frozen foods; and 35 percent wouldn’t order deli or bakery, the report showed. Consumers and retailers worldwide are trying to make sense of
market is being closely watched to see whether consumer patterns
“The pandemic altered purchasing behaviors and value drivers COVID-19 changed who we invite into our lives, what we do for entertainment, how we teach our children, and where we work, for those who are fortunate enough to still have stable employment and work from home,” according to the survey. “It isn’t a surprise that consumers also changed their habits and shifted their priorities when it comes to fresh food.”
The end of August is significant for almond growers in Afghanistan and specialty food companies such as Ziba Foods, as the first harvests are ready for buying and shipping. This August, though, also marks the end of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Companies that source ingredients from the region are braced to adjust to a situation that changes daily. “The pullout kind of puts us in a no man’s land as to what’s going to happen next,” said Raffi Vartanian, co-founder of Ziba Foods. “Our concern, while elevated, we know this has something that has been ongoing,” said Patti Doyle, CEO of Rumi Spice. “It’s the reason we founded this company, which is to achieve a more peaceful Afghanistan.” Chicago-based Rumi was founded by U.S. Army veterans who served in Afghanistan and wanted to help rebuild the country. The company’s mission includes supporting farmers and the women who harvest and process the spices. “We will always be concerned, given the climate of country,” Doyle said, “but it also reinforces
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Consumers Continue to Demand Fresh Food BY A.J. FLICK
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Global Food Retail Market Absorbs Reverberation From Pandemic BY A.J. FLICK
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will continue and how retailers will respond.
BY A.J. FLICK
Frozen Mackerel Market Swims to $1.05B Global Sales The consumer drive toward healthier eating during the pandemic coupled with a longer shelf life have spurred global sales of frozen mackerel, which is expected to top $1.05 billion over the next two years, according to a new report. Pandemic sales grew by 5 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to Future Market Insights. The Cleveland Clinic lists mackerel as one of the best fishes to eat for health benefits. Atlantic and Atka mackerel from Alaska are high in inflammation-fighting omega-3s, though the Cleveland Clinic warns against mackerel
from the Western Atlantic, Mexico and Spain due to mercury concerns. Fall is the peak season for fishing mackerel, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council, because the fish have up to 30 percent fat, which enhances the flavor and ensures it’s packed with protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fats. Studies involving hundreds of thousands of participants show that eating one to two 3-ounce servings of fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies or sardines) a week cuts the risk of dying from heart disease by 36
percent, according to an article published by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Not unexpectedly, fewer than 1 in 5 Americans follows that rule, the article said. About one-third of Americans eat seafood once a week while nearly half eat fish only occasionally or not at all. Granted, some people don’t like to eat fish under any circumstance. However, the School of Public Health article also attributed low consumption to reasons such as perceptions about cost, access to stores that sell fish and uncertainty about how to prepare or cook fish.
Frozen fish and seafood are gaining ground in the foodservice sector due to their longer shelf life of 18 to 24 months and consistent yearly high quality, according to FMI. Freezing fish and other seafood also contributes to sustainability and cutting waste by about 25 percent. In addition, frozen mackerel undergoes extensive microbiological testing, the FMI said, which improves safety and avoids contamination. Those factors are expected to maintain a positive impact on global sales in Continued on PAGE 26
