Raspberries and Blueberries Lead Fruit Consumption Growth in the US

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently released a report concerning the fruit consumption trends in the US over the past decade. According to the report, raspberries beat all other fruits and berries in terms of consumption growth in the US. In addition, the report shows that the gains in retail per capita consumption for berries have been very strong compared with many other fresh fruits. The USDA calculates the consumption of these fruits as the local market availability of various fruits in 2021 compared to 2011 for US consumers.

The rapid rate of fresh berry consumption increase in the US is seen as a local trend that can be followed by other regions and markets globally. It is also clear that fresh fruit consumption, particularly in the case of berries, is growing quicker and at a faster pace than the frozen fruit segment. As a result, some of the main berry-producing countries, such as Poland, Ukraine, and Morocco, where large amounts of berry production are dedicated to the frozen segment, are now shifting to fresh berries. In addition, price increases over the last years for fresh berry products in the retail sector in the main markets have made berry crops more profitable to producers.

According to the USDA, raspberries have shown a remarkable percentage growth in per capita consumption. Raspberry consumption in the US went from 0.3 pounds per person in 2011 to 2.3 pounds per person in 2021, an impressive 192% increase over the ten-year period. No other fruit product had such significant consumption growth in the US than this particular berry. Raspberries started gaining traction in 2016 when frozen raspberries flooded the US market from Ukraine and Poland. However, since 2020, raspberry consumption has skyrocketed in the US after COVID-19 due to its healthy benefits. Fresh raspberry imports have increased rapidly, with a 39% growth in quantity between 2018-2022, 98% of which are from Mexico.

Blueberry was in second place in terms of consumption growth in the US over the past ten years. According to the USDA, retail per capita consumption of blueberries has increased 97% over the past ten years, from 1.2 pounds in 2011 to 2.3 pounds in 2022.

Source: USDA

Strawberry consumption has also continued to grow in the US, but at a slower pace compared with blueberries and raspberries. Consumption of strawberries grew from 4.6 pounds in 2011 to 6.7 pounds in 2021, a 45% increase. This notable berry has been among the fastest-growing fruit consumption segments over the last ten years. However, it is well worth noting that strawberries have already been consumed in large quantities in the US market.

Among other popular fruits with fast-growing consumption rates over the last ten years are limes with 86% growth, tangerines and tangelos with 69%, avocados at 64%, mangoes at a 44% rate, and lemons with 43%.

In contrast, the consumption of apples, among the US’s most common fruits, has stagnated. In 10 years, apple consumption in the US has grown only by 2% per capita. Although it hasn’t grown significantly, it also did not decline, like what happened to other fruits. Peaches, grapefruits, and plums each experienced a 40% decline over the ten-year period. Melons and oranges have also seen notable declines in their consumption. In the case of oranges, a trend has been observed where oranges are losing popularity against the increasing availability and popularity of tangerines.