The State of Organic Produce report for 2024, presented by the Organic Produce Network (OPN), shared what was "a triumphant year for organic fresh produce," with growing retail participation and popularity among young generations. 

The report indicated that consumers are embracing organic fruits and vegetables more than ever, and retailers are stepping up, expanding selections, and making it easier for shoppers to choose fresh, organic options, such as avocados and snacking produce. 

Organic fresh produce sales in the U.S. saw strong growth in 2024, rising 5.7% to $9.5 billion, with volume increasing by 6.1%. The report shows that organic outpaced conventional produce, which posted a more modest 2.7% sales growth and a 2% volume increase.

Organic now comprises 12% of total retail produce sales and 7% of overall produce volume, reinforcing its expanding influence in the market.

Regional performance within the U.S.

The southern region in the U.S. saw a 7.2% YoY increase in sales, reaching over $3.3 billion, followed by the West with $2.96 billion. The northeast ranks third among sales of organic produce, followed by the Midwest in last place with $1.5 billion in sales. 

Sales by category

For the third year in a row, berries were the top category in terms of sales value, with sales of $1.85 billion, an increase of 11.8% year over year. 

Organic berries commanded a 66.6% price premium over conventional, highlighting consumers’ continued willingness to pay more for these sought-after fruits.

Packaged salads performed next best, with sales of $1.4 billion, and apples took a distant third in sales at $708 million. Organic apples had robust growth in 2024, with sales rising 6.8%—an increase of $45 million from the previous year. Volume climbed significantly, up 18.2% to 281 million pounds, signaling increased consumer demand. 

However, regarding volume, bananas remained the highest-selling item in the organic fresh produce sector, with 613 million pounds sold, and apples narrowly bested berries in volume at 281 million pounds.

With a 32.9% price premium over conventional bananas, organic bananas remained one of the more affordable options, appealing to budget-conscious consumers who value organic. Banana sales rose by 16.1% to $492 million. 

Citrus appears in 7th place in sales volume, with 106 million pounds sold. 

Organic grapes and avocado

Grapes are also among the top sellers of organic products, and in 2024, the category grew by 8.5% to $288 million, up $22.6 million from 2023. 

Carlos Bon, vice president of Divine Flavor, said in the report, "With newer, earlier and sweeter varieties on the horizon, exports of red seedless will start changing in the upcoming seasons. Varieties such as Karizma (IFG FortySeven) and Ruby Rush (Sugra53) are two newer red varieties that are showing promising potential for the future.” 

Similarly, avocados saw significantly better sales in 2024 than 2023, with an 8.4% growth in total sales of $270 million. 

However, the report notes that avocado volume declined by 6.1%, shaving off 4.2 million pounds from the previous year’s total volume. Organic avocados held a solid 54.7% price premium over conventional in 2024, nearly maintaining the 56% price premiums achieved in 2023.

Gary Caloroso, business development director at Giumarra, noted that avocado growers face higher input costs for their groves, which has hampered future organic growth opportunities for them. "Consumers are still feeling the effects of inflation and higher prices, so that has temporarily affected demand," he told OPN. 

From a retailer perspective, inflation remained a key concern in 2024, although its impact on sales and volume was less pronounced than in 2023.

However, supply issues caused by climate-related weather inconsistencies are an increasing challenge, affecting availability and pricing. Other top priorities included competitive pricing and consumer education. Last year, retailers and wholesalers alike responded to rising consumer demand for clean, nourishing produce with creativity and resilience, the report says. 

Check out the full report here.

Related article: First Chilean organic table grapes under Systems Approach to arrive in U.S.