Potato retail sales increased in dollar sales and decreased slightly in volume from April – June 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, according to Potatoes USA. The industry body says as prices increased by 13.6%, dollar sales increased by 12.6%.
While total volume sales decreased 0.8% from the same timeframe a year ago, they remained above the same timeframe pre-pandemic in 2019. Three categories increased in volume and dollar sales: instant, refrigerated, and canned potatoes.
The three categories that comprise the largest percentage of volume sales, which include potato chips, frozen potatoes, and fresh potatoes, all grew in dollar sales but fell slightly in volume sales. Potato chips increased by 13.7% in dollar sales and decreased by 1.1% in volume sales.
Frozen potatoes increased by 14.7% in dollars and decreased by 1.2% in volume, and fresh potatoes increased by 11.7% in dollar sales and decreased by 0.8% in volume sales. Fresh potato sales increased by 11.7%, and the price per pound increased by 12.6%, but the average price for fresh potatoes remains under $1.
Most fresh potato types increased in dollar sales but declined in volume sales, except for yellow and fingerling potatoes. Yellow potatoes increased by 8.3%, and fingerling potatoes increased by 6% in volume sales. When looking at package types, bagged potatoes are 84% of the volume, and the only category that increased in dollar and volume sales, 13.6% and 1.1%, respectively.
Five-pound bags were the only category to increase in dollar (15.8%) and volume sales (4.2%). All pack sizes eight pounds or greater saw the largest declines in volume sales but the largest price increases.
Source: Potatoes USA
