At IFE - International Food & Drink Event, a Soil Association panel on exactly that felt especially timely, not least because the new Organic Market Report gives the wider context behind it.
The headline numbers are compelling enough on their own. The UK organic sector has doubled over the last decade, is worth £3.9bn, and 83% of households are buying organic.
But perhaps the more interesting point is what sits behind that growth.
Organic increasingly feels less like a niche lifestyle choice, and more a practical response to how people are shopping now.
🔎 More scrutiny on ultra-processed food
☠️ Questions around pesticides and PFAs
👨🍳 Interest in scratch cooking
👛 Willingness to spend a little more on products that feel cleaner, trustworthy and nutrient-dense.
We’re seeing some of that play out in our work with Doves Farm too, particularly around organic ancient grain wholemeal flours as more people look for fibre-rich, wholefood ingredients that feel both nourishing and enjoyable to use at home, and place more value on the clarity organic offers as a certified standard.
In that context, organic starts to feel less like a premium add-on and more like something that answers a lot of the questions shoppers already have.
The session also challenged a couple of assumptions.
One was around who the organic shopper is. The point made by the panel was that the organic consumer is no longer a narrow, stereotyped profile. Increasingly, it's just people who care about taste, quality and what is in their food.
Another was frozen. Frozen organic was highlighted as one of the fastest-growing areas, up 16.3%, which feels significant because it sits at the intersection of a lot of current consumer needs: convenience, reduced waste, year-round access and nutritional value. PACK'D’s new frozen organic pomegranate is a good example of that in practice – convenience, reduced waste and everyday usability in one go.
That speaks to a wider shift across food and drink.
People are not only looking for “better” products in an abstract sense. They are looking for products that make everyday life easier, while still feeling like a smart choice. And that’s an important distinction for brands.
Importantly, both speakers made the point that flavour and taste still have to lead. Organic may signal trust and quality, but repeat purchase depends on whether people actually love the product.
That may be why organic feels increasingly relevant right now. Not because it has changed dramatically, but because it aligns more naturally with the way people want to shop, eat and choose.
For brands, the challenge is not to make organic feel worthy, it’s to make its relevance feel clear.
A lot in there for brands, challenger businesses and retailers to think about. Really enjoyed hearing Alex Cullen, Mitch Lee and Ros Heathcote Borough Broth | B Corp™ bring this all to life on stage.
