USA: The changing landscape in Premium Produce Supermarket decision making
While the German market sees a 6.5% surge in premium brand sales, the United States is navigating a similar but distinct shift where "premium" is being redefined through the lens of private label innovation and Gen Z influence. In 2025, U.S. private-label sales hit a record $283 billion, growing at triple the rate of national brands. This isn't a mere race to the bottom on price; rather, it is a structural change where 71% of American shoppers now believe retailer-owned brands match or exceed the quality of national names. For the produce industry, this signals that the "functional baseline"—price, origin, and certifications—has become the minimum entry fee, while true differentiation is moving toward emotional storytelling and varietal consistency. The American consumer, particularly the Gen Z and Millennial cohorts, is driving a renaissance in "specialty" fruit that prioritizes the "moment of joy" . Market data from early 2026 shows t...