» Food Processing Market Size Blog

Peanut Butter

January 17, 2012 — The Editors

In the United States peanuts are popular. They form the basis for a staple of many American diets, peanut butter, a reasonably priced source of protien. As a consequence, there has been much press coverage lately about the likely increase in the price of peanut butter. The poor peanut crop in 2011 has caused raw peanut prices to rise and this increased price is expected to be seen on grocery store shelves shortly.

Today’s market size is the size of the market for peanuts for use in the production of peanut butter in the United States. In the year 2000 peanut butter accounted for the end use on half the peanut crop and in 2009 peanut butter accounted for 63.5% of peanut usage.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2000 and 2009
Market size: 753 million pounds and 1.19 billion pounds respectively.
Source: “Peanut Use by Type of Product,” part of the USDA’s Economic Research Service series of reports on the availability of foods by type, available here.

Original source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
Posted on January 17, 2012

Posted in Agriculture, Food, Food Processing. No Comments »

Gluten-free Foods

November 30, 2011 — The Editors

Gluten is a protein found in various cereal grains, most notably wheat. This protein makes for the elastic texture of dough. It is also a protein that must be avoided by those with celiac disease, a condition which seriously interferes with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. An in-depth epidemiological study whose findings were publishied in 2003 found that one in ever 133 people in the United States suffers from celiac disease. Celiac disease sufferers and their immediate families are a natural market for gluten-free foods and the food industry has been increasing the number of gluten-free products on the market at a rapid pace in recent years. Those gluten-free offerings include breads, cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, and cake mixes.

Today’s market size is the estimated size by value of the gluten-free market in the Untied States.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2011
Market size: $6.3 billion
Source: Keith O’Brien, “Beat the Wheat,” The New York Times Magazine, page 50, November 27, 2011, available online here.
Original source: Spins, a market research firm.
Posted on November 30, 2011

Posted in Agriculture, Food Processing, Snack Food. No Comments »

Canned Pumpkin

November 23, 2011 — The Editors

For most people in the United States the first two things that pop to mind when the word pumpkin comes up are pumpkin carving for jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pie. It is the latter that inspired today’s post since pumpkin pie is one of the traditional dishes on a Thanksgiving Day menu.

Only a small portion of the pumpkins grown in the United States are actually used for decoration and jack-o-lanterns. The majority are consumed as food and most of those are processed into canned pumpkin and pie mix. The place most associated with this pumpkin processing is the town of Morton, Illinois where, in a Libby’s processing plant, approximately 85% of the the world’s canned pumkin is canned.

Today’s market size is the estimated value of the 2011 pumpkin crop in the United States. We wishing all our visitors a Happy Thanksgiving.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2011
Market size: $116.5 million
Source: Malinda Geisler, “Pumpkins,” one of a series of reports producted by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. This one is dated August 2011 and is available online here.
Original source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Posted on November 23, 2011

Posted in Agriculture, Food Processing. No Comments »

Functional Foods Market

May 19, 2011 — The Editors

At the most elemental level, we eat to supply our bodies with the nutrients necessary to maintain life. So by definition, food has a rather important function. However, the term functional food refers to processed foods and drinks that are marketed as having “health-promoting or wellness-maintaining properties”. The labels on such foods often include messages such as: heart healthy; helps reduce cholesterol, clinically shown to improve kids attentiveness, helps support your immune system or your digestive system or your nervous system, etc.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2009
Market size: $37.3 billion
Source: Singer, Natasha, “Food With Benefits, or So They Say,” page B1, The New York Times, May 15, 2011, available online here.
Original Source: Nutritional Business Journal