The State of the Specialty Food Industry 2016 Definitions and Brand Examples of Product Segments The following 61 segments have been selected for inclusion in this year’s State of the Specialty Food Industry research. The segments chosen represent a large portion of the overall market, and while not exhaustive, are deemed to present a representative view of the market as a whole.
Following are examples of types of products and brands defining each segment.
For more information, or to download a summary report or full report, visit www.specialtyfood.com/stateindustry2016.
Baby Food Products included: All organic and specialty packaged baby food and juices. Natural Standards: Earth’s Best, Happy Baby, Plum Organics Specialty: Apple and Eve, Hot Kid, Familia
Baking Mixes, Supplies, and Flours Products included: All gourmet, ethnic, and natural brands. Natural Standards: Bob’s Red Mill, Pamela’s, Sunspire, Arrowhead Mills Specialty: Ghirardelli, King Arthur, No Pudge, E Guittard
Beans, Grains, and Rice Products included: Gourmet and ethnic rice, rice mixes, couscous, beans, and grains. Natural Standards: Lundberg, Ancient Harvest, Arrowhead Mills, Woodstock Farms Specialty: Riceselect, Goya, Nishiki, Royal
Bread and Baked Goods Products included: Artisan breads, baked goods, scones, and muffins (primarily fresh, though frozen items are also included). Natural Standards: Rudi’s Organic, Food For Life, French Meadow Specialty: La Brea, Masada Bakery, Just Desserts, Tumaros
Candy and Individual Snacks Products included: Gourmet candy, ethnic candy, and chocolate. Natural Standards: Green and Blacks, Endangered Species, Dagoba, Stretch Island Specialty: Lake Champlain, Lindt, Divine, Blanxart
Carbonated Beverages Products included: Gourmet, ethnic, and natural sodas. Also includes sparkling non-alcoholic juices or celebration drinks. Natural Standards: Reed’s Ginger Brew, Zevia, Blue Sky, RW Knudsen Specialty: Boylan, San Pellegrino, Orangina, Jarritos
Cheese and Cheese Alternatives Products included: Cheese and cheese alternatives (non-dairy). Natural Standards: Organic Valley, Horizon, Tofutti, Applegate Farms Specialty: Tillamook, Cabot, Athenos, Laughing Cow
Chips, Pretzels, and Snacks Products included: Chips, pretzels, pita chips, and individual snacks. Natural Standards: Kettle Foods, Garden of Eatin, Terra Chips, Stacy’s Specialty: Food Should Taste Good, Snyder’s of Hanover, Cape Cod, Xochitl
Coffee, Coffee Substitutes Products included: Gourmet and premium whole-bean and ground coffees sold and Cocoa (non-RTD) in supermarkets. Does not include ready-to-drink coffee. Natural Standards: Equal Exchange, Vermont Coffee Company, Teecino, Mount Hagen Specialty: Peet’s Coffee, Caffe Sanora, Starbucks, Ghirardelli
Cold Cereals Products included: Natural/organic, gourmet, and ethnic items. Natural Standards: Nature’s Path, Kashi, Barbara’s Bakery, Bear Naked Specialty: Familia, Weetabix, Heartland, Alpen Condiments, Dressings, and Marinades Products included: Shelf-stable condiments including mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, marinades, soy sauces, and barbecue sauces. Natural Standards: Annie’s Naturals, Bragg, Thai Kitchen, Nasoya Specialty: Soy Vay, Chatham Village, Kikkoman, Lea and Perrins
Conserves, Jams, and Spreads Products included: Gourmet and ethnic items. Natural Standards: Crofters, Cascadian Farm, Eden Foods Specialty: Bonne Maman, Stonewall Kitchen, Dalmatia
Cookies and Snack Bars Products included: Gourmet and ethnic items. Natural Standards: Newman’s Own Organics, Kashi, Back to Nature, Pamela’s Specialty: Almondina, Matt’s Cookies, Stella Doro, Walkers
Crackers and Crispbreads Products included: Gourmet and ethnic items. Natural Standards: Blue Diamond Nut Thins, Back to Nature, Late July, Ak-Mak Specialty: Dr Kracker, Wasa, San-J, Carrs
Drink Mixes and Concentrates Products included: Powdered drink mixes and drink mix concentrates Natural Standards: Vitamin Burst, Stur, Sylvan Meadows Specialty: Klass, Starbuck’s Coffee, Gold Kili
Eggs Products included: Certified-organic items, and premium items such as free- range and Omega-3 fatty acid-enhanced products. Specialty: Ben Robert’s Heritage Poultry, Farmer Jon, Handsome Brook Farm
Energy Bars and Gels Products included: Bars classified as “lifestyle and wellness” or “athletic bars.” Natural Standards: Lara Bar, Odwalla, Kashi, Organic Food Bar Specialty: Bartons, Brookside, Off The Farm
Frozen Appetizers and Snacks Products included: Organic and premium natural brands only. Natural Standards: Amy’s Kitchen, Glutenfreedas, Health is Wealth Specialty: California Pizza Kitchen, El Charrito, Nancy’s Specialties
Frozen Breakfast Foods Products included: Organic premium and ethnic brands. Natural Standards: Vans, Nature’s Path, Amy’s Kitchen Specialty: Golden, Ratners, De Wafelbakkers
Frozen Dessert Products included: Gourmet ice creams—both organic and nonorganic, all gelatos, Italian ices. High-end (super-premium) specialty frozen desserts. Natural Standards: So Delicious Dairy Free, Stonyfield Farm, Tofutti, Julie’s Organic Specialty: Häagen-Dazs, Whole Fruit, Ciao Bella, Starbucks
Frozen Fruit and Vegetables Products included: Organic premium and ethnic brands. Natural Standards: Cascadian Farm, Woodstock Farms, Alexia, Sambazon Specialty: Wyman, Willamette Valley Fruit, Remlinger, Goya
Frozen Juices and Beverages Products included: Organic and premium natural brands only. Natural Standards: Cascadian Farm, Sno-Pac Specialty: Just Pikt, Goya
Frozen Lunch and Dinner Entrées Products included: Pizzas, soups, pasta, and vegetarian or meat entrées. Natural Standards: Amy’s Kitchen, Cascadian Farm, Glutino Specialty: Tandoor Chef, Vicolo, California Pizza Kitchen, Wolfgang Puck Frozen Meat Alternatives Products included: Organic and premium natural brands only. Natural Standards: Gardenburger, Turtle Island, Quorn Specialty: Dominex, Chez Gourmet
Frozen or Refrigerated Meat, Products included: Organic and premium natural brands only. Poultry, and Seafood Natural Standards: Applegate Farms, Diestel, Henry and Lisa’s Specialty: Boars Head, Columbus, Klements
Hot Cereals Products included: Rolled oats, grits, farina, and other hot cereals (both instant and non-instant) from regional or imported producers, as well as premium natural companies with unique or unusual offerings. Natural Standards: Bob’s Red Mill, Kashi, Nature’s Path, Country Choice Organic Specialty: McCann’s, Old Wessex, Silver Palate, Vermont Morning
Jerky and Other Meat Snacks Products included: Meat and plant-based jerkys and meat snacks Natural Standards: Tio Taco, Epic, Golden Valley Specialty: Old Wisconsin, Krave, World Kitchen
Milk Products included: Organic, sheep, goat, and small craft creameries. Specialty: Valley View, Humboldt Creamery, Meyenberg
Nut and Seed Butters Products included: Organic and natural brands of dried fruits, seeds, nuts, etc. Also includes ethnic foods such as dried seaweeds. Natural Standards: Maranatha, Artisana, Woodstock Farms Specialty: Joyva, Teddy Hall, Peloponnese
Nuts, Seeds, Dried Products included: Organic and natural brands of dried fruits, seeds, nuts, etc. Fruit, and Vegetables Also now includes Asian ethnic foods such as dried seaweed snacks. Natural Standards: Just Tomatoes, Eden Foods, Himalania, Sunridge Farms Specialty: Delightfully Turkish, San Joaquin, Poindexter Nut
Oils and Vinegars Products included: Olive oil, flavored oil, sesame oil, and vinegars. Natural Standards: Spectrum Naturals, Bragg, Bionaturae, Newman’s Own Organics Specialty: Colavita, Lucini Italia, Genco Pomace, Bariani
Other Dairy and Alternatives Products included: Other dairy includes European and organic butters, imported and premium ricotta cheese, and crème fraîche. Natural Standards: Organic Valley, Horizon, Earth Balance, Organic Cow Specialty: Tillamook, Cabot, Kerrygold, Plugra
Pickles, Peppers, Olives, Products included: Gourmet and ethnic brands. and Other Vegetables Natural Standards: Mediterranean Organic, Native Forest, Santa Barbara Olive Specialty: La Costena, Divina, Hatch, Mezzetta
Refrigerated Condiments Products included: Refrigerated dressings, relishes, pickles, and pickled and marinated vegetables. Natural Standards: Rejuvenative Foods, Follow Your Heart, Powerkraut Specialty: Cindy’s Kitchen, Boars Head, Bubbies
Refrigerated Entrées and Products included: Refrigerated and prepared entrées, salads, appetizers, Prepared Meals sandwiches, burritos, and sushi. Natural Standards: Macro Vegetarian, Awesome Foods, Karen and Sisters Specialty: Nikko, Shizen, AFC Sushi, Southern Tsunami Refrigerated Juices and Products included: Super-premium fresh juices, as well as enhanced, Functional Beverages functional drinks. Natural Standards: Odwalla, Naked Juice, Bossa Nova, GT Kombucha Specialty: Indian River Select, Zeiglers, Champlain Orchards, Florida’s Choice
Refrigerated Meat Alternatives Products included: Organic, natural, and gourmet/specialty brands. Natural Standards: Lightlife, Turtle Island, Yves Specialty: El Burrito, Friedas, El Monte Foods
Refrigerated Non-Dairy Beverages Products included: Refrigerated non-dairy beverages that are soy, rice, nut, or grain based Natural Standards: Silk, Imagine Rice Dream, Organic Valley Specialty: Don Jose Foods, Cacique, Kineret
Refrigerated Pasta Products included: Refrigerated pastas. (Does not include ready-to-eat). Natural Standards: Sea Tangle Noodle Company, Wildwood Natural Foods, Nasoya Specialty: House Foods, Giovanni Rana, Fortune, Sidaris
Refrigerated Salsas and Dips Products included: Salsas, dips, hummus, and baba gannoush. Natural Standards: Emerald Valley Kitchen, Blue Moose, Wildwood Natural Foods Specialty: Marzetti, Athenos, Tribe Hummus, Meza
Refrigerated Sauces—Pasta and Pizza Products included: Refrigerated pasta and pizza sauce. Natural Standards: Nonna Lenas, Blue Moose, Glaser Organic Farms Specialty: Cibo, Cucina Fresca, Karams, Basil Tops
Refrigerated RTD Tea and Coffee Products included: All sizes of chilled ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Natural Standards: Bhakti Chai, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Honest Tea Specialty: Lucky Jack, Uel Zing
Shelf-Stable Entrées and Mixes Products included: Includes grain-based, rice, couscous mixes, tabouli, pasta dishes, and macaroni and cheese. Also includes shelf-stable ethnic items. Natural Standards: Annie’s Homegrown, Annie Chun, Back to Nature, Lundberg Specialty: Near East, Simply Asia, A Taste of Thai, Goya
Shelf-Stable Fruits and Vegetables Products included: Gourmet, ethnic, and natural canned vegetables, beans and fruit. Also includes fruit sauces (e.g., apple sauce, etc). Natural Standards: Muir Glenn, Westbrae, Eden, Amy’s Kitchen Specialty: Wyman, Leroux Creek, Goya, Dei Fratelli
Shelf-Stable Functional Beverages Products included: Functional beverages including energy drinks and sports beverages. Natural Standards: Amy and Brian, Vitococo, Steaz, Guru, Function Specialty: Goya, Coco Loto, Materva
Shelf-Stable Juices Products included: Premium natural and organic brands, and kosher brands. Natural Standards: RW Knudsen, Lakewood, Santa Cruz Organic, Bionaturae Specialty: Martinelli’s, Volcano, Looza, Kedem Tree Top
Shelf-Stable Meat, Poultry, Products included: Gourmet and premium varieties of canned fish and shellfish, and Seafood caviar, etc, both imported and domestic.
Shelf-Stable Non-Dairy Beverages Products included: Refrigerated non-dairy beverages that are soy, rice, nut, or grain based. Natural Standards: Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, Pacific Natural Foods, EdenSoy Specialty: Kikkoman Organic, Rio Grande, Yeos, Kikkoman Pearl Shelf-Stable Pasta Products included: Shelf-stable/dry pasta from natural, organic, gourmet, ethnic, and imported brands. Natural Standards: Bionaturae, Thai Kitchen, Deboles, Hodgson Mills Specialty: De Cecco, Da Vinci, Gia Russa, Racconto, Luigi Vitteli
Shelf-Stable Puddings and Desserts Products included: Gourmet and ethnic brands. Also includes syrups and toppings. Natural Standards: Zensoy, Ah!laska, Natural By Nature, Santa Cruz Organic Specialty: Oetker, Elyon, Fudge Fatale, Stonewall Kitchen
Shelf-Stable Salsas and Dips Products included: Salsas, dips, hummus, and baba gannoush. Natural Standards: Muir Glenn, Green Mountain Gringo, Amy’s Kitchen, Salpica Specialty: Dessert Pepper, Classico, Emeril’s, Herdez
Shelf-Stable Sauces—Pasta and Pizza Products included: Pastas and pizza sauce that do not require refrigeration prior to opening. Natural Standards: Muir Glen, Walnut Acres, Amy’s Kitchen Specialty: Raos Homemade, Lucini Italia, Enricos, Mezzetta
Shelf-Stable RTD Tea and Coffee Products included: All sizes of shelf-stable ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Natural Standards: Honest Tea, Adina, Guayaki Specialty: Ito En, Starbucks Coffee, Tradewinds
Rice Cakes Products included: All-natural brands of full-size and “mini” bite-size rice cakes. Natural Standards: Lundberg, Mothers, Real Foods Australia Specialty: Blooms, Paskesz, Pan Lourdes
Seasonings Products included: Spices, spice mixes (foil packets), baking flavors, and salt. Natural Standards: Frontier, Simply Organic, Spice Hunter, Redmond Specialty: Morton and Bassett, Celtic Sea, Goya, Emeril’s
Soup Products included: Ready-to-serve soup, soup cups, soup mixes, and instant soups. Also includes miso, bouillon, and ramen-type items. Natural Standards: Pacific Natural Foods, Amy’s Kitchen, Health Valley, Imagine Foods Specialty: Wolfgang Puck, Bear Creek, Better than Bouillon, Simply Asia
Sweeteners Products included: Pure maple syrups, honey, and alternative sweeteners such as agave, sucanat, turbinado. Natural Standards: Sweetleaf, Wholesome Sweeteners, Madhava, Florida Crystals Specialty: Andersons Maple Syrup, Kallas, Pioneer, Golden Blossom, Maple Grove Farms
Tea (non-RTD) Products included: All-natural brands, as well as premium and “exotic” varieties of packaged teas, including African Red (Rooibos), Mate from South America, etc. Also includes brands that offer specific imported varietals, such as Assam, oolong, gunpowder green. Natural Standards: Yogi Tea, Traditional Medicinals, Celestial Seasonings, Choice Organic Tea Specialty: Bigelow, Twinings, Taylors of Harrogate, Two Leaves Tea Company
Tofu Products included: Packaged plain and seasoned tofu. Natural Standards: Wildwood Natural Foods, Nasoya, Mori-Nu Specialty: House Foods, Melissa’s, Sun Luck Water Products included: Premium brands (e.g., Evian, Perrier, etc), as well as functional, enhanced waters that don’t contain artificial ingredients. Natural Standards: Ayalas Herbal Water, Metromint, Penta, Hint Specialty: San Pellegrino, Fiji, Gerolsteiner, Sanfaustino, Iceland Spring, Evian
Yogurt and Kefir Products included: Ethnic and cultured dairy and non-dairy products are included as well as all sheep, goat, and water buffalo yogurts. Natural Standards: Stonyfield, Brown Cow, Lifeway, Nancy’s Specialty: Fage, Woodstock Water Buffalo, Emmi, Pavel