In the last year or so, Canadian produce suppliers have noticed plenty of industry trends—some new, others not—from a rise in organics and prepared foods to mounting demand for ethnic commodities and berries.
David Karwacki, CEO of Star Produce Ltd., headquartered in Saskatoon, SK, said berries and cherries continue to see off-the-charts demand.
“The growth in the berry and cherry category has been frenetic,” he said. “We see tremendous growth in those two categories. If you can deliver good quality and great taste, you just can’t keep berries and cherries on the shelf.”
Star Produce has also seen growing demand for greenhouse lettuce, which is one of the reasons the company recently expanded operations.
“Over the course of the last year, we opened up our new whole-leaf lettuce facility, which is a greenhouse lettuce facility, and we’re doubling in size,” Karwacki said. “We’ll be producing 24 million heads of lettuce a year and we’ll be the largest greenhouse lettuce producer in North America.”
Additionally, Star Produce recently opened a facility to cut lettuce for top-seal clamshells and is augmenting its salad line.
“So, chicken and salmon and cheese and all of the fixings that go along with making a great salad—we’ll be offering that with our greenhouse lettuce,” Karwacki said.
As Canada’s population continues to grow in size and diversity, demand for ethnic produce is also on the rise.
“Consumer demand for our Asian and ethnic category continues to be steady, with more retailers identifying the growing Canadian ethnic population as an opportunity,” said Roy Hinchey, CEO of Thomas Fresh Inc. in Calgary, AB.
In 2018, he says their top ethnic produce sellers were dragon fruit, pomelos, and young coconut.
George Pitsikoulis, president of Canadawide Fruit Wholesalers Inc. in Montreal, reiterates that the ethnic produce trend is not new, but has been gathering momentum for the last several years.
“In the past, a lot of these ethnic produce offerings were a niche item, but now they’ve become more mainstream,” he said.
Prepared meals and grab-and-go items with eco-friendly packaging are also in demand.
According to Ron Lemaire, president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) in Ottawa, ON, Canadian shoppers are seeking fresh, healthy, and convenient foods.
“Canadians are striving to eat better, actively seeking out and purchasing products that protect their family’s health,” he said.
“This is turning buyers toward foods made with fresh fruit and vegetables,” Lemaire continues. “Consumers are also trying to eat more conveniently and eco-friendly. They are more socially aware and willing to pay premiums for environmentally friendly packaging.”
Further, Lemaire said, “Ease of preparation is also top of mind for shoppers, supporting a movement towards fresh meal-kits, while keeping physical well-being in mind.”
Joe Rubini, president of Rally Logistics Inc. in Woodbridge, ON, has noticed higher demand for chopped and processed products.
“It’s easier for people to just open up a measured bag of items and cook according to instructions on a package,” Rubini says. “Where my parents would buy an entire bunch of a particular vegetable, these days people are consuming more of this pre-packaged produce.”
