After rapid sales growth of more than 24 percent from 2006 to 2008, the natural and organic food and beverage category saw only slight growth in 2009 (1.8 percent) as the recession took a toll on nearly every sector of the consumer goods marketplace, Mintel says. Despite this slowdown, natural and organic food and beverage sales are expected to grow nearly 20 percent from 2010 to 2012, it says.
Like many other beverage categories, functional drinks are leading the growth of natural and organic beverages driven by consumers’ interest in products with health benefits.