How Customers are Responding to Inflation
- 90% of shoppers acknowledge making changes due to grocery store price increases.
- Most common behavior changes include switching from delivery/takeout pizza to frozen pizza and shopping in bulk. Other behaviors are also starting to emerge, such as 16% of shoppers switching from liquid soap to bar soap and 12% of shoppers are switching from packaged chicken to rotisserie chicken.
Potato Market Update
All russet potato growing regions have larger potato sizes available in both bags and cartons. This has caused some price decline on the 8-ounce and larger potatoes. Otherwise, the market is very steady with continued above-average pricing.
Growing regions across the country are now shipping new crop red potatoes. Demand is a bit sluggish, which makes it the perfect time to set up a red potato promotion.
The yellow potato market has tremendous demand with very steady pricing.
White potatoes are in short supply in the Midwest, with the majority of supplies remaining in the Northeast. The market is strong due to lack of supply.
Fingerling potato supplies remain tight, with products only available in a few shipping areas. Pricing remains higher than usual.
Onion Market Update
As we finish September, the overall onion market and demand are starting to see some softness. Growers in the Columbia Basin and Idaho have plenty of new crop reds, yellows and whites available in all sizes. Overall for September, pricing is excellent across the board. Medium yellow and red onions are in good supply, while colossal-size yellows are very tight.
Quality overall has been excellent on new crop onions.
