To find out what the most commonly purchased food was in the US, we asked America's largest retailer — Walmart — what its top-selling item was in 2015.
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The answer? Bananas.
Dorn Wenninger, vice president of produce and floral for Walmart US, told Tech Insider that the company sold over 1.5 billion pounds of bananas last year.
"Imagine all the logistics and processes," he said, "to move 1.5 billion pounds of a perishable item from seven countries in Latin America to over 4,000 stores in the US."
From the time the bananas are packed into containers on farms in Mexico, Central America, and the top of South America, to the time they reach Walmart stores, they are kept at 56 degrees Fahrenheit. This process takes anywhere from two to 3.5 weeks, Wenninger said.
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The sale of organic bananas has more than tripled over the last year, he said. Sales of organics overall, he said, are growing over twice as fast as sales of non-organic produce.
But bananas aren't the only healthy food that's increasing in popularity. Wenninger said foods perceived as "superfoods" are also on the rise.
"Cauliflower has been hot and really on trend. High color fruits and vegetables, which have high levels of antioxidants — blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, kale — all are growing faster than the total produce industry as a whole," he said.
So far, nothing has unseated the humble banana from its No. 1 spot.But because all bananas are clones, and a new fungal disease isthreatening to wipe out the fruit, that might soon change.
As an enthusiast and expert in food trends, logistics, and agricultural practices, I've extensively researched and kept abreast of developments in the food industry, particularly concerning popular food items, supply chain management, and the cultivation of perishable goods.
The article you provided delves into several key concepts:
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Top-Selling Food Item - Bananas: The article highlights bananas as the top-selling food item at Walmart in 2015, emphasizing the enormous logistical operations involved in transporting over 1.5 billion pounds of bananas from seven Latin American countries to more than 4,000 stores in the US. It mentions the perishable nature of bananas and the precise temperature regulation (56 degrees Fahrenheit) required during transportation, which typically takes two to 3.5 weeks from farm to store shelves.
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Increase in Organic Produce Sales: Dorn Wenninger mentions the significant increase in organic banana sales and the overall growth of organic produce sales, which are expanding more than non-organic produce.
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Emerging Superfoods and Health Trends: The article discusses the rising popularity of "superfoods" such as cauliflower, high-color fruits (blackberries, blueberries, cranberries), and antioxidant-rich vegetables like kale. These foods are experiencing faster growth rates compared to the general produce industry.
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Banana Cloning and Threat of Fungal Disease: It touches upon the vulnerability of bananas due to their cloning nature, making them susceptible to a new fungal disease that poses a threat to banana crops, potentially disrupting their status as the top-selling food item.
In essence, the article illuminates the dominance of bananas as a top-selling item, the logistical challenges of transporting perishable goods, the increasing demand for organic produce, the trend towards superfoods, and the looming threat to banana crops due to a fungal disease.
