organic consumer
Next we headed to a session on online food retailing. Here are some highlights:
Just 2% of grocery sales are generated online; but a whopping 60% of shoppers use online tools to help inform their food choices, said Kathryn Peters, Executive VP of Business Development at SPINS.
55% of people classed as natural and organic shoppers say they have purchased grocery items at some point in the previous year. In many cases, they purchase hard-to-find products they can’t find in local stores, said Peters.
Chad Arnold , CEO of online retailer Door to Door Organics, said revenues last year were $26m. This year he’s aiming for $40m as more consumers opt to shop for their organic meat, dairy and fresh produce online.
The firm, which partners with organic farmers to bring seasonal local produce to customers’ doorsteps, goes the extra mile with planning and shop-by-recipe tools, and now operates in five states and serves nine (click here).
Some people still argue that shoppers will always want to touch and feel food before purchase, said Arnold. But they used to say that about books too until Amazon came along, he said.
“You’re a Mom with two kids, you drive to the store, try to find a parking space, search through 40,000 skus, when you just want to buy 30, go home, find you’ve spent $200 and still have nothing to eat. There must be a better way…”
But clicks will never totally replace bricks he said, noting that online grocery shopping is just another option for consumers, who typically shops at multiple stores for different items.