Gourmet, Specialty and Premium Foods, Beverages and Consumer Trends in the U.S., 8th Edition

The conventional wisdom goes that gourmet/premium foods fare well during economic downturns because consumers view them as “affordable luxuries.” But the “Great Recession” of 2008-2009 disproved this theory as mighty Starbucks, the bellwether for the democratization of luxury, was among the first companies hit by cutbacks in consumer spending. For the market overall, Packaged Facts conservatively estimates that total U.S. retail sales of gourmet/premium foods and beverages through all retail channels rose to $67.1 billion in 2009, an increase of 3.7% over the previous year’s sales of $64.7 billion compared with the 2005-2009 compound annual growth rate of 8.7%.

 

Still, success remains to be had, and many gourmet/premium marketers and retailers are succeeding by finding ways to respond to the economic slowdown not by ignoring it or reversing strategy, but by incorporating its impact on consumer behavior as a factor among others.

This new report from Packaged Facts is an indispensible tool to this end, answering such questions as:

• Which gourmet/premium products and market segments have been faring well in the new economy?
•  How are marketers and retailers adjusting? How can they recast and reposition their goods?
• Who are the most viable consumers, and how can they best be reached?
• Which media and marketing messages resonate for these consumers, and in what contexts?

Gourmet, Specialty and Premium Foods, Beverages and Consumer Trends in the U.S., 8th Edition also pinpoints market size, analyzes growth potential and identifies issues and trends that will affect the marketplace through 2014. Focusing on consumer lifestyles and demographics through extensive analysis of Experian Simmons panel data, the report examines their attitudes and behaviors toward gourmet/premium foods and beverages, retail shopping patterns, and media usage and preferences, both traditional and social. Also included is extensive coverage of new product trends and marketing and advertising positioning, all discussed within the context of the social, economic, and psychographic drivers of current consumer behavior.

 

Additional data sources include SymphonyIRI Group sales tracking of selected products and brands through tracked mass-market channels; Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics data tracking new product introductions; and proprietary data from Packaged Facts’ own consumer survey, which is based on a national online poll conducted in May/June 2010.

 

More>