The tomato business is going through significant change at the retail, wholesale and grower levels, as the popular category is affected by a variety of consumer trends. And today, rather than four, five or six tomato SKUs, many stores offer a dozen or more.
The tomato business is going through significant change at the retail, wholesale and grower levels, as the popular category is affected by a variety of consumer trends. And today, rather than four, five or six tomato SKUs, many stores offer a dozen or more.
Overall, the tomato is the second most commonly consumed vegetable in the U.S., fresh and processed. Fresh tomato consumption in the U.S. started out the century at about 19 pounds per person and peaked at 21 pounds in 2011, according to Statista. The consumption number hovered above 20 pounds until dropping to 17.9 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic, then began trending up again to reach 19.2 pounds in 2023.
At Saker ShopRite, Holmdel, NJ, demographics and the popularity of ethnic cuisine drives what the company offers. At the opening of a new store in South Plainfield, NJ, Richard Saker, the company's president, recently observed his shoppers have strong preferences for tomato products by variety and in terms of form. Saker ShopRite customers today buy fewer fresh tomatoes because they increasingly want convenience, and are often willing to trade money for time. Saker says he runs four commissaries to turn basic commodities, including tomatoes, into what's increasingly sought by consumers.
Read more at Produce Business