The specialty food industry continued to grow in 2015, racking up record sales of $120.5 billion. Sales at retail grew to $94 billion, a 19.7 percent jump since 2013, driven by product innovations and a wider availability of specialty foods through mass-market outlets, according to the Specialty Foods Association.
The supply chain has also embraced the importance of e-commerce as a way to sell directly to consumers. Eighty-five percent of manufacturers sell via their own website, and 49 percent use a third-party platform like Amazon. Importers cite online sales as one of their fastest-growing channels. These findings are from a new report from the Specialty Food Association produced in conjunction with research firms Mintel International and SPINS/IRI.