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The exploration of our food and beverage culture yields rich, robust information and facts. Some may seem obvious, and others can be more thought provoking, but combined with our insightful analysis, they can make a huge difference to your business. While you may be tempted to keep these nuggets of knowledge all to yourself, we encourage you to share them with colleagues. Here, then, are our 12 curated interesting, intriguing, and insightful facts from recent Hartman syndicated research reports.

Did You Know: Organic certification lends credibility and an assurance of quality and food safety.

  • 55% of consumers trust the USDA Organic Seal

Did You Know: The seal itself is not the only factor at play, however, as consumers also look to brands and retailers to determine their confidence in a food or beverage product.

  • 61% of consumers trust specialty retailers’ private organic brands

Did You Know: The number one reason consumers buy organic foods and beverages is they are “safer for me/my family” (39% of consumers say this).

Did You Know: As consumers look for ways to minimize the negative impact of their food choices on animal welfare, widespread concern that USDA organic animal welfare requirements are not sufficiently strict is one of many factors generating interest in plant-based meat/dairy alternatives and more humane alternatives to traditional meat.

  • 78% of consumers would prefer more stringent animal welfare requirements for USDA organic certification

Did You Know: Because trends tend to originate among Core consumers (the most wellness-engaged consumers), it is essential to understand their beliefs, behaviors, and potential to influence the rest of the population.

  • In the past year, 58% of Core consumers sought to improve their health with inherently nutritious food (vs. 49% of total)

Did You Know: Wellness-oriented brands’ halo corresponds with a bit more trust in functional foods and beverages, but even mainstream companies have opportunity to participate.

  • 66% of consumers say they trust manufacturers/brands specializing in packaged functional foods or beverages, and 64% say they trust specialty/natural retailers’ private label brands

Did You Know: How people start, end, and spend their days during the peak of COVID-19 social distancing reflect new pressures and heightened priorities, with an emphasis on regaining and retaining physical and mental health.

  • Due to COVID-19, consumers have heightened health concerns for stress/anxiety relief/relaxation (32%), immunity (30%), sleep/rest (28%), weight loss/management (22%), and generally preventing disease for long term (22%)

Did You Know: While current solutions are working for many shoppers, others are eager to get back to pre-COVID-19 approaches—or at least something similar.

  • When COVID-19 is no longer a major concern, 40% of consumers say they will continue to wear a mask into grocery stores, 32% will return to what they did prior to COVID-19, and 28% will do something in between

Did You Know: As in pre-pandemic times, most shoppers undertake at least some planning steps, most often focused on list making and savings; however…

  • 1 in 10 shoppers (10%) takes a more spontaneous approach to shopping

Did You Know: If 2020 was the year of the pandemic, it was also the year of online grocery shopping.

  • 27% of consumers say they now shop online for groceries more than before COVID-19, and 14% shopped online for groceries for the very first time during COVID-19

Did You Know: Patterns in snacking alone vs. with others reflect the isolating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on households.

  • 28% of consumers say they snack alone all the time amid the pandemic (compared to 17% in 2016)

Did You Know: Consumers now home-source their snacks and plan for it by stocking up in advance.

  • 86% of consumers say they reach for snacks out of their pantry/fridge rather than running to a store to grab something, and 85% say they make sure to always have snack options at hand without having to go buy one

The Hartman Group’s syndicated research reports are the source for this Did You Know article. The four reports from 2020 are: Organic & Beyond, Functional Food & Beverage and Supplements, Food Sourcing in America, and Snacking: Emerging, Evolving and Disrupted