Speciality Food April 2025

4 @specialityfood who are increasingly motivated by healthy and sustainable choices and seeking out organic products.” There are though, she admitted, some “significant” barriers to overcome in the UK so organic can scale up further, adding that the Association has joined forces with leading nature and environmental NGOs to make the case for a 10% Government target for land to be farmed organically. More than half of respondents reported a positive year, with a fifth enjoying a significant sales increase. The highest share of organic sales (49%) are being seen in the dairy and produce categories, which have become key entry points for shoppers seeking natural, minimally processed and healthy options. Within the independent and specialist retail sector organic sales rose by 9% to £518 million, and in foodservice, after a difficult couple of In 2024, sales increased (to around £3.7 billion) across every key channel, with multiples, independent retailers, non-food and hospitality enjoying a particularly strong year. These figures, said the organisation, are a powerful indicator of both performance by brands, and growing interest from consumers. “The organic market delivered abundant growth across the board last year, out-performing non-organic in both volume and value growth – a key indicator of the health and potential of the market as we look to the future,” said Soil Association Certification’s commercial and marketing director, Georgia Philips. “And the signs are strong that this growth is here to stay with increasing consumer demand, particularly from Gen Z shoppers UK experiences strong growth in organic market Producers making organic food and drink are reaping the benefits of huge growth in sales value and volume, according to the Soil Assocation Certification’s Organic Market Report 2025 Yorkshire Agricultural Association’s Harrogate farm shop, Fodder, has recently reopened with a new look and name. In what has been its biggest refurbishment since opening in 2009, the newly coined Fodder – Great Yorkshire Food Hall had been closed since January, and following a refit and weeks of work can now proudly stockmore local produce than ever before, alongside operating its café, known as The Kitchen. TV presenter Christine Talbot and Peter Wright fromThe Yorkshire Vet reopened the food hall alongside general manager Vanessa Pitt and Yorkshire Agricultural Society CEO, Allister Nixon. Changes include permanent tasting tables showcasing Fodder suppliers, and a brand newmenu featuring produce from the shop, which also has a new logo and branding. “We have really close relationships with our suppliers and producers,” said Vanessa. “We work with them on special promotions and pay them fairly and so putting them front and centre of Fodder is really important to us. The refit really allows us to do that, not only with a bigger range, we also have permanent tasting tables for sampling every week which helps spotlight businesses evenmore.” Allister added, “This is a new era for Fodder to take it into the future with a contemporary feel while retaining its warmth and connection to Yorkshire producers. We pride ourselves on looking after our suppliers while raising money for the farming community as all profits go back to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to continue its support for the industry.” Farm shop reopens with new look years, they were increased by 6.5%. Online, too, continues to perform well, with organic sales twice as likely to be made digitally. As Georgia pointed out, Gen Z, and younger shoppers (under 24) are buying into the organic message more frequently, making up 67% of sales alongside lower and middle- income households. The report shows that lower- income shoppers display higher rates of purchasing organic products consistently across multiple categories. They’re also more likely to buy organic on special occasions. Additional data from vegetable box specialists, Locavore, show that 28% of its shoppers have an annual household income of less than £20,000, and half of those are under £20,000. “Cost of living pressures haven’t gone anywhere,” said Georgia, “but, now accustomed to higher prices, consumers are prioritising other areas such as health and the environment. As these priorities become ever-more embedded in shoppers’ buying habits, the future looks bright for organic.”