Specialty Food Sales Break Records

Nut Butters, Eggs, Frozen Desserts Show Big JumpsAmericans have a growing appetite for specialty food. U.S. sales of specialty food and beverages reached $88.3 billion in 2013, a record high for the fourth year in a row and a jump of 18.4 percent since 2011. Cheese dominates specialty food sales at retail, with $4 billion in sales in 2013, followed by the categories meat, poultry and seafood; and chips, pretzels and snacks. The fastest growing categories are nut butters, eggs, and frozen desserts, according to new research from the Specialty Food Association. “U.S. consumers are more