Industry statistics released during the FCC State of the Canadian Food Industry webinar showed a number of important insights into how Canadians have changed their habits through COVID-19 as well as some continuing trends from previous years. One of the most important insights was the growth of specialty diets and reduction in red meat purchases by Canadians.
The rise of specialty diets such as Keto, Paleo, Gluten-free and Lactose free have not slowed their growth in the COVID-19 pandemic. The FCC is reporting that most of these diets have experienced growth since 2019 and that overall, the purchases of vegetables and plant-based proteins has grown.
With dieting and vegetarianism so closely related to organic produce the FCC also reported an increase in organic food consumption over 2019 and they expect this demand to continue to grow with the demand for organic and diet foods.
Small farmers will recognize that niche products such as high protein vegetables, organic produce and keto friendly products are all on the rise. For farmers who partner with or have their own retail stores the ability to cater to these markets can be ideal for raising prices and enjoying growth.
FCC believes that the negative economic effects of COVID-19 have hit many sectors in agricultural, but this has meant increased pricing for food production. FCC believes this effect is unlikely to last, as China, another major agriculture player, returns to the market. FCC says this could, however, mean more profit in the short run.