Consumer awareness about healthy food and beverage choices continues to grow and benefit the natural and organic beverage market. The market showed resilience during tough economic times with natural and organic food and beverage sales growing 9.4 percent in 2010 in mass merchandise, food, drug and convenience channels, as well as natural and specialty markets, according to a Mintel report titled “Natural and Organic Food and Beverage: The Market.” From 2009 to 2011, the natural and organic food and beverage market grew 20 percent, the October 2011 report adds.
According to the Chicago-based market research firm’s report, standout segments for natural and organic included functional beverages, which grew 69 percent from 2009 to 2011, as well as the coffee, coffee substitute and cocoa segment, which grew 78 percent in the same time frame.