Health and wellness series – Organic processed food in Italy
November 2018
Executive summary
Organic packaged food and drinks, valued at US$40.4 billion at a global level, still represents a small part of the health and wellness market, but shows growth opportunities based on the evolution of consumers' priorities towards the consumption of natural foods and beverages as well as the increasing interest in social and environmental responsibilities. Both trends will keep driving growth over the forecast period.
The forecast for the organic food market in Italy seems very optimistic. As open food markets are becoming more popular, the packaged food industry is expected to respond quickly with more packaged organic food becoming available in modern grocery retailers.
Organic food remains dynamic in Italy. Retail value sales are continuing to boom as more Italian consumers are willing to pay extra for better quality food. Food origin, safety, and supporting local producers are increasingly important issues for Italian consumers, and this is driving demand for organic products and locally grown produce. The preference for locally produced foods has driven demand for organic produce, farmer's markets and "green" supermarkets.
The main driving factors behind this growth have been product expansion and increasing demand for premium, high-priced products, as well as changing consumer habits towards food. Consumers in Italy have started focusing more on healthy food, prioritising quality over quantity, and preferring to buy less but more premium natural food.
CETA overview
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a free-trade agreement between Canada and the European Union (EU). It is an attractive and important market for Canadian producers. The EU's 28 member-states consists of 500 million consumers, which will open new benefits as Canadian agri-food exports continue to grow. CETA will offer many more immediate and tangible benefits to the Canadian producer, reducing costly tariffs and streamlining complex technical and administrative barriers to trade. The most visible advantage of CETA for our producers and exporters is the elimination of virtually all tariffs between Canada-EU trades. Overall, the trade agreement should allow the Canadian to further increase its share of the EU market for agricultural products.
Mandatory organic standards and label

Italy must follow EU regulations pertaining to organic products. Organic products sold in Italy must display EU's organic farming logo. The distribution of organic products from non-EU countries in the EU market is only permitted when they are produced and controlled under equivalent conditions as those for EU organic producers, for example, the Canada-EU organic equivalency agreement.
Import requirements
Organic products from non-EU countries can be imported into Italy if the exporting country is listed in the directory of recognised third countries or the products have been certified by a control body authorised by the EU Commission as equivalent. Canada is recognized by the European Union as having equivalent organic production rules and control systems (Annex III of Regulation (EC) No. 1235/2008). Exceptions for single products and product categories can occur.
All imported organic products must be accompanied by an electronic certificate of inspection. This certificate can be issued by a control authority or body recognised by the EU or the control authorities or control bodies authorised by a country recognised by the EU as equivalent. The original certificate of inspection must be presented together with the imported organic products to the relevant Member State's authority. Usually it will be the local authority at the port of arrival, in any case the point from which you seek release for free circulation in the Union.
Genetically modified organisms
The use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and of products manufactured from GMOs is still prohibited in organic production. Products containing GMOs may not be labelled as organic. However in the case of an adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of GMOs, a horizontal Regulation fixes a general labelling threshold under which a product does not have to indicate the presence of GMOs (Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed OJ L 268, 18.10.2003). This threshold is fixed at 0,9%. With a presence of GMOs below this threshold, a product may continue to be labelled organic.
Foods may only be marked as "organic" if at least 95% of their agricultural ingredients are organic. Organic ingredients in non-organic food may be listed as organic in the list of ingredients, as long as this ingredient has been produced in accordance with the organic legislation. In order to ensure better transparency, the code number of the control body must be indicated.
Consumer expenditures
Italy's economy began to emerge from recession in 2014 and real GDP growth has since strengthened, reaching 1.5% in 2017. Modest increases in private consumption have supported economic growth and are aiding a gradual recovery. However, although private consumption is picking up, unemployment remains high (11%), thus limiting discretionary spending.
Italy's economic performance continues to affect the expansion of per capita disposable income and spending in the country. The economic record, periodically, showed a sustained decline in the consumption of Italian families. It is a trend confirmed: because of an income decrease, families changed their behaviour as consumers, especially sacrificing protein foods.
However, growth of the Italian consumer market picked up slightly over 2015-2016, supported by monetary stimulus from the European Central Bank (ECB) and low inflation, the years to come are better than the years past (2018-2022). Italy's ageing population, sluggish economic growth, and changes in consumer behaviour will be major factors shaping trends in income and expenditure in the country in the long run.
Category | 2013 | 2017 | 2018[e] | 2022 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 | CAGR* % 2018-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Consumer expenditure on food (total) | 2,692.7 | 2,802.1 | 2,856.5 | 3,171.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 |
Consumer expenditure on food | 2,489.3 | 2,585.3 | 2,635.4 | 2,926.6 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
Consumer expenditure on bread and cereals | 459.5 | 477.6 | 488.2 | 543.3 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
Consumer expenditure on meat | 637.5 | 638.0 | 649.3 | 717.6 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
Consumer expenditure on fish and seafood | 186.2 | 209.3 | 213.4 | 236.7 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
Consumer expenditure on milk, cheese and eggs | 362.4 | 368.3 | 375.3 | 416.4 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
Consumer expenditure on oils and fats | 87.6 | 94.9 | 96.8 | 107.2 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
Consumer expenditure on fruit | 233.4 | 248.2 | 253.0 | 280.9 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Consumer expenditure on vegetables | 357.3 | 369.9 | 376.8 | 420.3 | 0.9 | 2.8 |
Consumer expenditure on sugar and confectionery | 115.1 | 123.2 | 125.7 | 140.5 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
Consumer expenditure on other food | 50.2 | 55.9 | 57.0 | 63.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
Consumer expenditure on non-alcoholic beverages | 203.4 | 216.9 | 221.1 | 244.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
Consumer expenditure on coffee, tea and cocoa | 73.4 | 80.2 | 81.6 | 89.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Consumer expenditure on mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit and vegetable juices | 130.0 | 136.6 | 139.5 | 155.3 | 1.2 | 2.7 |
Source: Euromonitor International, 2018 e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Economic crisis and organic food
The recent economic recession has impacted many industrial sectors in Italy, including the food industry. The organic food industry however, has been growing steadily throughout the economic crisis, registering an impressive CAGR of +8,8% from 2008-2013 and +12.6% from 2013-2017.
Market size
When it come to organic food retail sales, Italy ranks 5th in the world in 2017. The Italian organic food market has grown rapidly over the past few years and the forecast period seems very optimistic (2018-2022).
Organic beverages sales have increased but at much slower rates than organic packaged food, mainly due to the fact that Italian consumers value Italian provenance and are generally willing to pay more for organic food products grown and produced in Italy and less willing to pay premium prices for organic coffee and tea, which are not domestically produced. (Euromonitor International, 2018)
Country | 2013 | 2017 | 2018[e] | 2022 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 | CAGR* % 2018-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
World | 27,486.9 | 40,438.4 | 43,774.1 | 58,232.4 | 8.0 | 7.4 |
Organic beverages | 3,541.0 | 5,033.9 | 5,441.3 | 7,208.6 | 7.7 | 7.3 |
Organic packaged food | 23,945.9 | 35,404.5 | 38,332.7 | 51,023.8 | 8.1 | 7.4 |
United States | 11,872.8 | 16,991.9 | 18,291.8 | 23,481.9 | 7.3 | 6.4 |
Organic beverages | 1,115.2 | 1,496.7 | 1,594.4 | 1,964.6 | 6.2 | 5.4 |
Organic packaged food | 10,757.5 | 15,495.2 | 16,697.4 | 21,517.3 | 7.4 | 6.5 |
Germany | 3,550.8 | 4,210.8 | 4,371.0 | 5,020.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
Organic beverages | 540.6 | 677.2 | 712.3 | 874.2 | 5.1 | 5.3 |
Organic packaged food | 3,010.2 | 3,533.5 | 3,658.8 | 4,145.9 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
France | 1,940.4 | 3,093.1 | 3,411.4 | 4,673.0 | 10.2 | 8.2 |
Organic beverages | 299.9 | 491.0 | 533.3 | 684.7 | 9.8 | 6.4 |
Organic packaged food | 1,640.5 | 2,602.1 | 2,878.1 | 3,988.3 | 10.2 | 8.5 |
China | 780.5 | 2,839.2 | 3,385.1 | 6,223.2 | 25.6 | 16.4 |
Organic beverages | 14.9 | 42.6 | 50.4 | 84.2 | 22.5 | 13.7 |
Organic packaged food | 765.6 | 2,796.6 | 3,334.6 | 6,139.0 | 25.7 | 16.5 |
Italy | 1,007.2 | 1,756.6 | 1,946.6 | 2,834.0 | 12.6 | 9.8 |
Organic beverages | 86.0 | 119.6 | 126.5 | 147.4 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
Organic packaged food | 921.2 | 1,637.0 | 1,820.1 | 2,686.7 | 13.0 | 10.2 |
United Kingdom | 1,395.9 | 1,558.4 | 1,636.9 | 1,889.0 | 2.2 | 3.6 |
Organic beverages | 213.3 | 232.0 | 244.4 | 273.2 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
Organic packaged food | 1,182.6 | 1,326.3 | 1,392.4 | 1,615.8 | 2.3 | 3.8 |
Canada | 952.0 | 1,310.5 | 1,412.1 | 1,914.3 | 7.1 | 7.9 |
Organic beverages | 289.1 | 435.4 | 481.3 | 675.5 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
Organic packaged food | 662.9 | 875.2 | 930.8 | 1,238.9 | 6.2 | 7.4 |
Sweden | 507.6 | 892.9 | 959.9 | 1,219.2 | 13.1 | 6.2 |
Organic beverages | 64.4 | 165.0 | 193.7 | 280.0 | 26.9 | 9.6 |
Organic packaged food | 443.2 | 727.9 | 766.3 | 939.2 | 10.8 | 5.2 |
Netherlands | 564.1 | 835.4 | 892.5 | 1,086.5 | 7.6 | 5.0 |
Organic beverages | 105.2 | 158.6 | 169.5 | 213.5 | 8.0 | 5.9 |
Organic packaged food | 458.9 | 676.9 | 722.9 | 873.0 | 7.5 | 4.8 |
Denmark | 589.2 | 792.6 | 854.7 | 1,115.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
Organic beverages | 72.6 | 139.5 | 162.8 | 276.7 | 17.2 | 14.2 |
Organic packaged food | 516.6 | 653.1 | 691.8 | 839.1 | 5.1 | 4.9 |
Source: Euromonitor International, 2018 e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Organic food trends
The main driving factors behind organic food and beverage retail sales have been product expansion and increasing demand for premium, high-priced products, as well as changing consumer habits towards food. Consumers in Italy have started focusing more on healthy food, prioritising quality over quantity, and preferring to buy less but more premium and natural food.
Italians increasingly choose to purchase organic goods because they consider such goods to offer better value for money than non-organic alternatives. Another reason behind the growing demand for organic products is that Italian consumers want to get closer to producers, and since it is believed that organic products are more natural, sales have increased accordingly, especially for organic food that is produced in the country and labelled 'Made in Italy'.
Health and wellness
The continued growth within the organic foods sector is linked to the growing interest by Italian consumers for their wellness, fitness and health in general as well as their growing preoccupation with regard to environmental issues in general. Italian consumers have been opting for naturally healthy packaged foods and beverages or organic, which are perceived as offering essential natural nourishment, without the higher unit prices and artificial ingredients associated with fortified or functional and better for you products.
Also, there is a growing number of Italian consumers viewing better for you packaged food as being unnecessarily processed. The growing prevalence of food intolerances is also contributing to strong growth regarding gluten-free foods.
- The overall health and wellness trend and consumers' concerns about chemicals and hormones used in food production are driving demand for organic products. With more-hectic lifestyles and increasing working hours, many consumers in Italy will continue to have concerns about their health and thus watch their diets, engage in physical activity and generally make healthier lifestyle choices. As a result, they are also expected to pay attention to the types of food and beverages they consume and to increasingly opt for high quality natural products.
- Younger drink consumers buy authentic, healthy and convenient. Organic is the fastest growing category in food and beverage sales.
- Supermarkets and hypermarkets continue to dominate health and wellness distribution, partly due to the strong share of private label in this area. Modern retailers are able to offer a wide range of both branded and private label offerings, thus enabling them to maintain a steady sales share.
Category | 2013 | 2017 | 2018[e] | 2022 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 | CAGR* % 2018-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Health and wellness by type | 14,653.3 | 16,306.8 | 16,865.0 | 20,012.0 | 2.7 | 4.4 |
Better for you (BFY) | 3,622.2 | 3,117.7 | 3,052.4 | 2,971.5 | −3.7 | −0.7 |
BFY beverages | 678.0 | 641.8 | 636.2 | 635.8 | −1.4 | 0.0 |
BFY packaged food | 2,944.3 | 2,475.8 | 2,416.2 | 2,335.7 | −4.2 | −0.8 |
Fortified/functional (FF) | 3,226.3 | 3,130.1 | 3,156.1 | 3,377.6 | −0.8 | 1.7 |
FF beverages | 602.2 | 631.1 | 643.6 | 696.0 | 1.2 | 2.0 |
FF packaged food | 2,624.1 | 2,499.0 | 2,512.4 | 2,681.5 | −1.2 | 1.6 |
Naturally healthy (NH) | 5,697.9 | 6,534.8 | 6,718.7 | 7,751.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
NH beverages | 2,710.3 | 3,059.7 | 3,117.8 | 3,428.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
NH packaged food | 2,987.6 | 3,475.1 | 3,600.8 | 4,323.4 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
Organic | 1,092.8 | 1,756.6 | 1,946.6 | 2,834.0 | 12.6 | 9.8 |
Organic beverages | 88.7 | 119.6 | 126.5 | 147.4 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
Organic packaged food | 1,004.1 | 1,637.0 | 1,820.1 | 2,686.7 | 13.0 | 10.2 |
Source: Euromonitor International e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Diet
Additionally, an increasing number of Italian consumers have been choosing alternative dietary styles, ranging from the various shades of veganism and vegetarianism to omnivore diets that exclusively include or at least favour organic products (often referred to as flexitarians). Italians consider organic products to be sustainable and environmentally friendly which fit their values.
According to the European Vegetarian Union, Italy has over six million vegetarians and the highest rate of vegetarianism in the EU, at 10% of the population. Thus, this type of consumer is prepared to spend more money on organic fruit and vegetables. In fact, according to Anabio (the Italian association that represents farmers of organic products), consumers are willing to pay up to15% more for a given organic product. This trend is less visible in packaged food, but is growing quickly from a low base.
Made in Italy
During the financial crisis, consumers supported in large numbers domestic companies, especially small manufacturers and independent retailers, feeling that they were supporting the local economy in this way. As a result, farmers' markets became very popular; in 2015, Italian consumers started to increasingly visit street stalls in order to buy fresh products, such as vegetables, fruit, meat and fish.
Hence there has been a multiplication of farmers' markets, buyers' collectives (what in Italy are known as GAS, gruppi di acquisto solidale, groups of solidarity-oriented buying) and direct sales to consumers by agricultural firms. Many cities in Italy now organise 'mercato del contadino' (markets where fresh food is sold directly by the producer to the consumer). On the Spesa dal Contadino website (in Italian only), consumers can look for the location of such markets and they can also filter for organic markets only.
Organic food[1] | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic fresh foods (total) | 2,392.4 | 2,572.5 | 2,698.8 | 2,961.8 | 3,526.5 | 10.2 |
Organic eggs | 339.2 | 365.0 | 383.6 | 415.7 | 420.2 | 5.5 |
Organic fish and seafood | 36.2 | 42.5 | 38.7 | 39.2 | 35.5 | −0.5 |
Organic fruits | 1,031.0 | 1,056.5 | 1,081.3 | 1,158.9 | 1,550.1 | 10.7 |
Organic meat | 334.9 | 393.9 | 440.7 | 472.9 | 544.7 | 12.9 |
Organic nuts | 81.6 | 101.4 | 110.4 | 119.8 | 123.8 | 11.0 |
Organic pulses | 65.1 | 79.2 | 84.2 | 96.0 | 109.4 | 13.9 |
Organic starchy roots | 16.6 | 19.2 | 24.5 | 33.1 | 34.3 | 19.9 |
Organic vegetables | 487.8 | 514.9 | 535.4 | 626.2 | 708.5 | 9.8 |
Source: Euromonitor International, 2018 1. For organic products to be included, the organic aspect needs to form a significant part of the overall positioning/ product. "Certified Organic" means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organisations. These standards can differ from country. *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Organic beverage
Organic beverages are expected to continue to profit from persisting Italian consumer demand for healthier products over the forecast period. Organic beverages sales growth will still be slower than that of organic packaged food, but it will continue to grow as consumers increasingly opt for quality over quantity when purchasing coffee, tea, chocolate-based powdered drinks and fruit/vegetable juice. Organic beverages current retail value sales increase by a CAGR of 7.8% from 2013 to 2017, to reach US$ 119.6 million in 2017.
- Organic tea benefits from the fact that many consumers are looking for high-quality tea, especially herbal/fruit tea infusions, which are widely available in modern grocery retailing channels.
- Organic juice is likely to see dynamic improvement over the forecast period, benefiting from rising demand among health-conscious consumers interested in high quality natural products.
- Organic coffee is expected to continue to post a strong growth over the forecast period, with the area profiting from the increasing number of Italian consumers looking to replace consumption of standard coffee with healthier and more natural organic alternatives. Organic coffee is perceived as being less harmful as raw coffee beans are cultivated in line with strict guidelines regarding pesticide usage.
Category | 2013 | 2017 | 2018[e] | 2022 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 | CAGR* % 2018-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic beverages (total) | 88.7 | 119.6 | 126.5 | 147.4 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
Organic hot drinks | 43.6 | 57.4 | 60.6 | 70.9 | 7.1 | 4.0 |
Organic coffee | 15.7 | 19.5 | 20.8 | 24.8 | 5.6 | 4.5 |
Organic fresh coffee | 14.4 | 18.1 | 19.4 | 23.4 | 5.9 | 4.8 |
Organic instant coffee | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
Organic tea | 26.5 | 36.5 | 38.4 | 44.7 | 8.3 | 3.9 |
Organic black tea | 14.5 | 15.7 | 16.4 | 18.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Organic fruit/herbal tea | 11.0 | 19.4 | 20.6 | 24.6 | 15.2 | 4.5 |
Organic green tea | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 3.4 |
Organic other hot drinks | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | −1.7 |
Organic chocolate-based: flavoured powder drinks | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Organic plant-based and malt-based hot drinks | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Organic fruit/vegetable juice | 45.1 | 62.2 | 65.9 | 76.4 | 8.4 | 3.8 |
Organic 100% juice | 13.8 | 20.3 | 21.5 | 24.3 | 10.1 | 3.1 |
Organic nectars (25-99% juice) | 31.3 | 42.0 | 44.4 | 52.1 | 7.6 | 4.1 |
Source: Euromonitor International e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Companies and brands
While demand for organic beverages is expected to remain strong, the fact that private label accounted for over a third of value sales within organic beverages in 2017 is predicted to influence unit price development over the forecast period. Private label ranges account for around one third of organic beverages sales, with Ecor NaturaSì leading sales and Coop Italia ranking third in 2017. Both players' products profit from strong consumer trust in their high-quality private label lines, which are offered at lower prices compared to branded producers.
- The value share of private label within organic beverages is increasing steadily, mainly on the account of wider product ranges and more availability on shelves, even from minor organic private label ranges, particularly those from discounters, which continue to widen distribution.
- Despite a slight decrease in 2016, Ecor NaturaSì leads sales in 2017, posting a retail value share of 10.6%. Ecor NaturaSì has initiated an attempt to consolidate its position throughout the Italian market by opening 30 new points of sale in modern food chains, from supermarkets to convenience stores.
Category | Top 3 companies | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic beverages (total) | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 12.0 | 11.4 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 10.6 | −3 |
East West Tea Co LLC | 4.2 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 21 | |
Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | −4 | |
Organic coffee | Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 28.7 | 28.5 | 26.9 | 25.9 | 25.5 | −3 |
Pellini Caffé SpA | 23.5 | 23.1 | 21.8 | 22.1 | 22.6 | −1 | |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 4 | |
Organic tea | East West Tea Co LLC | 14.2 | 24.4 | 26.2 | 28.9 | 29.1 | 20 |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 24.8 | 21.5 | 20.4 | 20.5 | 21.1 | −4 | |
Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 7.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.2 | −3 | |
Organic other hot drinks | AltroMercato Società Cooperativa | 39.8 | 41.5 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 41.6 | 1 |
Crastan SpA | 34.3 | 35.3 | 35.1 | 35.5 | 35.9 | 1 | |
Private Label | 19.5 | 19.6 | 19.5 | 19.0 | 18.8 | −1 | |
Organic fruit/vegetable juice | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 14.8 | 15.1 | 14.7 | 12.3 | 12.3 | −5 |
Conserve Italia - Consorzio Cooperative Conserve Italia scarl | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 6.2 | 6.9 | −2 | |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | −5 | |
Organic 100% juice | Conserve Italia - Consorzio Cooperative Conserve Italia scarl | 25.0 | 24.4 | 21.4 | 19.2 | 19.1 | −7 |
Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 14.1 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | −6 | |
Zuegg SpA | 11.6 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | −6 | |
Organic nectars (25-99% juice) | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 15.1 | 15.7 | 16.1 | 12.9 | 12.9 | −4 |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | −4 | |
Alce Nero, Gruppo | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 7.1 | 7.2 | −5 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Category | Brand name | Company name | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic beverages (total) | Yogi Tea | East West Tea Co LLC | 4.2 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 20.7 |
Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | −3.9 | |
AltroMercato Bio | Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 7.2 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 6.0 | −4.5 | |
Organic hot drinks | Yogi Tea | East West Tea Co LLC | 8.6 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 21.1 |
AltroMercato Bio | Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 14.6 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.6 | 12.6 | −3.6 | |
NaturaSi | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 11.0 | 10.0 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.7 | −3.1 | |
Organic coffee | AltroMercato Bio | Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 28.7 | 28.5 | 26.9 | 25.9 | 25.5 | −2.9 |
Pellini | Pellini Caffé SpA | 23.5 | 23.1 | 21.8 | 22.1 | 22.6 | −1.0 | |
Ecor | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 3.6 | |
Organic tea | Yogi Tea | East West Tea Co LLC | 14.2 | 24.4 | 26.2 | 28.9 | 29.1 | 19.6 |
NaturaSi | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 18.0 | 15.7 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 15.3 | −4.0 | |
AltroMercato Bio | Consorzio Ctm Altromercato | 7.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.2 | −3.3 | |
Organic other hot drinks | Altromercato | AltroMercato Società Cooperativa | 39.8 | 41.5 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 41.6 | 1.1 |
Crastan | Crastan SpA | 34.3 | 35.3 | 35.1 | 35.5 | 35.9 | 1.1 | |
Private label | Private Label | 19.5 | 19.6 | 19.5 | 19.0 | 18.8 | −0.9 | |
Organic fruit/vegetable juice | Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 14.8 | 15.1 | 14.7 | 12.3 | 12.3 | −4.5 |
Valfrutta | Conserve Italia - Consorzio Cooperative Conserve Italia scarl | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 6.2 | 6.9 | −2.4 | |
Ecor | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | −4.8 | |
Organic 100% juice | Valfrutta | Conserve Italia - Consorzio Cooperative Conserve Italia scarl | 25.0 | 24.4 | 21.4 | 19.2 | 19.1 | −6.5 |
Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 14.1 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | −6.0 | |
Skipper | Zuegg SpA | 11.6 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | −5.6 | |
Organic nectars (25-99% juice) | Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 15.1 | 15.7 | 16.1 | 12.9 | 12.9 | −3.9 |
Ecor | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | −4.1 | |
Alce Nero | Alce Nero, Gruppo | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 7.1 | 7.2 | −4.9 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Packaged food
Organic packaged food sales are projected to post strong growth in coming years as Italian consumers increasingly demand for natural food products. From 2013 to 2017, organic packaged food records current value growth of 13% to reach sales of US$ 1.6 billion. Over the forecast period organic packaged food set to post a CAGR of 10.2%.
Oppositely, sales of regular pasta suffered from 2013-2017 stagnated, with value sales at a CAGR of 1%, while organic pasta saw value sales rise at a CAGR of 29.7% over the same period. Other categories that experienced strong growth were organic rice, organic honey and organic cheese.
Milk quotas in the EU ended in 2015. This has opened the door to milk originating from other countries under less stringent production restrictions, and consumers are more likely to choose organic milk as it is considered a safer option, especially in Italy where organic milk production capacity is high. However, milk used in certified organic yogurt preparation is from organic farms, where animals are raised according to criteria very similar to the natural state. Organic margarine and spreads registers the strongest current value growth of 45%
Categories | 2013 | 2017 | 2018[e] | 2022 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 | CAGR* % 2018-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic packaged food (total) | 1,004.1 | 1,637.0 | 1,820.1 | 2,686.7 | 13.0 | 10.2 |
Organic baby food | 30.5 | 35.1 | 36.7 | 45.6 | 3.6 | 5.6 |
Organic milk formula | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 8.6 | 4.4 | 6.4 |
Organic dried baby food | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 13.1 | 8.8 |
Organic prepared baby food | 12.9 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 18.5 | 3.1 | 5.0 |
Organic other baby food | 11.2 | 12.4 | 12.9 | 15.7 | 2.6 | 5.0 |
Organic bread | 15.8 | 17.8 | 18.5 | 21.6 | 3.0 | 3.9 |
Organic breakfast cereals | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 3.8 |
Organic confectionery | 21.1 | 22.8 | 23.5 | 27.7 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
Organic dairy | 366.7 | 565.3 | 614.2 | 840.8 | 11.4 | 8.2 |
Organic butter | 30.2 | 32.3 | 32.7 | 36.0 | 1.7 | 2.4 |
Organic cheese | 72.3 | 117.5 | 128.7 | 171.8 | 12.9 | 7.5 |
Organic cream | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 4.1 |
Organic margarine and spreads | 0.8 | 6.7 | 9.4 | 31.0 | 70.1 | 34.8 |
Organic milk | 223.5 | 351.0 | 380.0 | 515.6 | 11.9 | 7.9 |
Organic soy drinks | 1.5 | 2.1 | 6.0 | N/C | 30.0 | |
Organic dairy-based yoghurt | 38.3 | 54.6 | 59.5 | 78.4 | 9.3 | 7.1 |
Organic edible oil | 84.8 | 98.9 | 102.7 | 121.1 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
Organic ready meals | 19.8 | 27.7 | 29.2 | 36.3 | 8.8 | 5.6 |
Organic rice, pasta and noodles | 157.7 | 439.6 | 531.2 | 1,006.8 | 29.2 | 17.3 |
Organic rice | 7.1 | 13.8 | 15.4 | 22.4 | 18.1 | 9.8 |
Organic pasta | 150.6 | 425.8 | 515.8 | 984.4 | 29.7 | 17.5 |
Organic sauces, dressings and condiments | 26.2 | 31.5 | 32.6 | 37.1 | 4.7 | 3.3 |
Organic nuts, seeds and trail mixes (snacks) | 79.7 | 103.7 | 109.0 | 132.7 | 6.8 | 5.0 |
Organic shelf stable meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables | 40.0 | 72.1 | 82.5 | 109.1 | 15.9 | 7.2 |
Organic soup | 5.2 | 6.4 | 6.9 | 9.6 | 5.3 | 8.6 |
Organic spreads | 108.5 | 146.1 | 157.2 | 197.1 | 7.7 | 5.8 |
Organic spreads excluding honey | 83.2 | 111.0 | 120.1 | 150.9 | 7.5 | 5.9 |
Organic honey | 25.2 | 35.1 | 37.1 | 46.2 | 8.6 | 5.6 |
Organic sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks | 44.5 | 65.8 | 71.5 | 96.1 | 10.3 | 7.7 |
Organic fruit snacks | 11.1 | 14.6 | 15.6 | 20.3 | 7.1 | 6.8 |
Organic sweet biscuits | 33.4 | 51.2 | 55.9 | 75.7 | 11.3 | 7.9 |
Source: Euromonitor International e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate N/C: Not calculable |
Companies and brands
Italian companies dominate the market, but some foreign companies have carved out small market shares.
- Alce Nero is one of the leading players in the organic industry in Italy. The company has continued to post double-digit growth over the review period (2013-2017) due to both the domestic and export markets. The company offers a wide range of products, from pasta and bakery to sauces, and operates as a supplier to large grocery retailers as well as running its own e-commerce platform. In 2017, Alce Nero also ventured into new categories with new products in the dairy and ready meals category.
- Ki group has traditionally been one of the largest players in organic packaged food and it was one of the first to enter the organic packaged food industry. Unfortunately, Ki group's face strong competition from health specialist retailers and its sales declined.
- Barilla launches Organic Pasta (2013-2017) and it announced its intention to become the undisputed global leader in categories such as bakery, pasta and pasta sauces. Thanks to heavy investment in its production plants, the company has been able to strengthen its leadership in traditional products, despite the struggling Italian economy and margins being eroded by the strong promotional activities of grocery retailers. In recent years, the company has also launched gluten free and organic pasta in countries other than Italy in older to gain experience and consumer feedback on products prior to launch in Italy, where consumers are extremely demanding.
Category | Company | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic packaged food | Granlatte Societá Cooperativa Agricola arl | 13.3 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 13.0 | 12.9 | −0.8 |
Rigoni di Asiago Srl | 7.5 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.6 | −7.0 | |
Idea Team Srl | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 0.6 | |
Organic baby food | Hipp GmbH & Co Vertrieb KG | 26.0 | 25.8 | 24.5 | 22.9 | 22.0 | −4.1 |
Danone, Groupe | 20.8 | 20.6 | 20.3 | 20.0 | 19.7 | −1.3 | |
Alce Nero, Gruppo | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 34.3 | |
Organic bread | Idea Team Srl | 17.3 | 17.1 | 17.0 | 27.1 | 26.4 | 11.1 |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 11.6 | −1.0 | |
Alce Nero, Gruppo | 5.9 | 5.9 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 8.9 | 10.8 | |
Organic breakfast cereals | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 48.6 | 48.6 | 48.6 | 48.4 | 48.0 | −0.3 |
Idea Team Srl | 26.7 | 26.6 | 26.5 | 26.4 | 26.2 | −0.5 | |
Molino Nicoli SpA | 11.2 | 11.5 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 1.7 | |
Organic confectionery | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 20.0 | 20.4 | 20.6 | 20.9 | 21.2 | 1.5 |
Ctm Altromercato Soc Coop | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.4 | 15.3 | 15.3 | 1.0 | |
Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | −0.6 | |
Organic dairy | Granlatte Societá Cooperativa Agricola arl | 36.4 | 37.1 | 37.0 | 36.9 | 37.2 | 0.5 |
Cooperativa Latteria Vipiteno Società Agricola | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | −4.0 | |
Andros SAS | 14.0 | 8.4 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | −44.8 | |
Organic edible oil | Ki group SpA | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | −5.4 |
Deoleo SA | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | |
Monini SpA | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 4.4 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Category | Company | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic ready meals | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 25.1 | 25.3 | 26.6 | 28.7 | 30.2 | 4.7 |
Isalpa Srl | 12.3 | 13.4 | 13.7 | 13.9 | 14.2 | 3.7 | |
Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 9.9 | 11.4 | 11.7 | 12.9 | 14.2 | 9.4 | |
Organic rice, pasta and noodles | Idea Team Srl | 18.7 | 14.1 | 12.2 | 10.9 | 9.6 | −15.4 |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 9.0 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 5.0 | −13.7 | |
Flli De Cecco di Filippo Fara San Martino SpA | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | N/C | ||
Organic sauces, dressings and condiments | Dialcos SpA | 29.0 | 29.7 | 30.1 | 30.3 | 30.7 | 1.4 |
Alce Nero, Gruppo | 26.1 | 25.7 | 24.9 | 25.1 | 26.0 | −0.1 | |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 0.7 | |
Organic soup | Orogel Surgelati SpA | 28.8 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.8 | 28.8 | 0.0 |
Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 3.1 | |
Azienda Agricola Buonamici Srl | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | −2.2 | |
Organic spreads | Rigoni di Asiago Srl | 69.7 | 68.0 | 65.7 | 64.2 | 62.7 | −2.6 |
Alce Nero, Gruppo | 10.1 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 1.9 | |
Ponti SpA | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | −1.2 | |
Organic sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks | Idea Team Srl | 17.3 | 16.1 | 15.2 | 25.8 | 24.7 | 9.3 |
Noberasco SpA | 9.6 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.2 | −1.1 | |
Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.9 | −1.5 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate N/C: Not calculable |
Category | Brand Name | Company Name (GBO) | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic packaged food | Granarolo | Granlatte Societá Cooperativa Agricola arl | 13.3 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 13.0 | 12.9 | −0.8 |
Fiordifrutta | Rigoni di Asiago Srl | 6.0 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.4 | −7.5 | |
La Finestra sul cielo | Idea Team Srl | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | −4.6 | |
Organic baby food | Hipp | Hipp GmbH & Co Vertrieb KG | 26.0 | 25.8 | 24.5 | 22.9 | 22.0 | −4.1 |
Milupa | Danone, Groupe | 20.8 | 20.6 | 20.3 | 20.0 | 19.7 | −1.3 | |
Alce Nero | Alce Nero, Gruppo | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 34.3 | |
Organic bread | La Finestra sul cielo | Idea Team Srl | 17.3 | 17.1 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 16.1 | −1.8 |
Baule Volante | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 11.6 | −1.0 | |
Ki group | Idea Team Srl | 10.5 | 10.3 | N/C | ||||
Organic breakfast cereals | Baule Volante | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 48.6 | 48.6 | 48.6 | 48.4 | 48.0 | −0.3 |
La Finestra sul cielo | Idea Team Srl | 26.7 | 26.6 | 26.5 | 26.4 | 26.2 | −0.5 | |
Molino Nicoli | Molino Nicoli SpA | 11.2 | 11.5 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 1.7 | |
Organic confectionery | Baule Volante | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 20.0 | 20.4 | 20.6 | 20.9 | 21.2 | 1.5 |
Altromercato | Ctm Altromercato Soc Coop | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.4 | 15.3 | 15.3 | 1.0 | |
Rapunzel | Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | −0.6 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate N/C: Not calculable |
Category | Brand Name | Company Name (GBO) | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic dairy | Granarolo | Granlatte Societá Cooperativa Agricola arl | 36.4 | 37.1 | 37.0 | 36.9 | 37.2 | 0.5 |
Linea Biologica | Cooperativa Latteria Vipiteno Società Agricola | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | −2.6 | |
Fattoria Scaldasole | Andros SAS | 14.0 | 8.4 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | −44.8 | |
Organic edible oil | Crudigno | Ki group SpA | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 0.6 |
Carapelli | Deoleo SA | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | |
Monini | Monini SpA | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 4.4 | |
Organic ready meals | Ecor | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 16.7 | 17.5 | 18.5 | 19.8 | 20.7 | 5.5 |
Bionaturae | Isalpa Srl | 12.3 | 13.4 | 13.7 | 13.9 | 14.2 | 3.7 | |
Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 9.9 | 11.4 | 11.7 | 12.9 | 14.2 | 9.4 | |
Organic rice, pasta and noodles | La Finestra sul cielo | Idea Team Srl | 18.7 | 14.1 | 12.2 | 10.9 | 9.6 | −15.4 |
Baule Volante | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 9.0 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 5.0 | −13.7 | |
De Cecco | Flli De Cecco di Filippo Fara San Martino SpA | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | N/C | ||
Organic sauces, dressings and condiments | Dialbrodo | Dialcos SpA | 29.0 | 29.7 | 30.1 | 30.3 | 30.7 | 1.4 |
Alce Nero | Alce Nero, Gruppo | 26.1 | 25.7 | 24.9 | 25.1 | 26.0 | −0.1 | |
Baule Volante | Ecor NaturaSì SpA | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 0.7 | |
Organic savoury snacks | Noberasco | Noberasco SpA | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.9 |
Rapunzel | Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 5.0 | |
Besana | V Besana SpA | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 31.6 | |
Organic soup | Orogel | Orogel Surgelati SpA | 28.8 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.8 | 28.8 | 0.0 |
Almaverde Bio | Almaverde Bio Italia Srl, Società Consortile | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 3.1 | |
Buonamici | Azienda Agricola Buonamici Srl | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | −2.2 | |
Organic spreads | Fiordifrutta | Rigoni di Asiago Srl | 55.3 | 53.7 | 51.8 | 50.5 | 49.1 | −2.9 |
Rigoni | Rigoni di Asiago Srl | 14.4 | 14.3 | 13.9 | 13.7 | 13.5 | −1.6 | |
Alce Nero | Alce Nero, Gruppo | 10.1 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 1.9 | |
Organic sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks | La Finestra sul cielo | Idea Team Srl | 17.3 | 16.1 | 15.2 | 14.4 | 13.8 | −5.5 |
Spighe & Spighe | Idea Team Srl | 10.3 | 9.8 | N/C | ||||
Noberasco | Noberasco SpA | 9.6 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.2 | −1.1 | |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate N/C: Not calculable |
Distribution channel
Distribution of organic beverage and packaged food market in Italy is fragmented and competitive. Health specialist retailers, alongside outdoor markets, have always been among the leading distribution channels for organic goods, with the first offering both packaged and unpackaged products and the latter mainly fresh produce. Most of the organic packages and beverage foods sold in Italy is purchased in traditional grocery retailers, followed by supermarkets, hypermarkets and specialized shops.
- Traditional shops or farmer's markets are popular because there is a strong perception among consumers that products sales through those channels are natural. However, Italian consumers carry out most of their grocery shopping in supermarkets and hypermarkets, which together accounted for 50% of grocery retailing value in 2017.
- However, discounters such as Lidl and Penny Market have been rapidly gaining popularity, with consumers attracted by their low prices and increased focus on fresh and organic foods. This was the only store-based channel to see real growth over the review period (2013-2017).
Distribution channel | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Store-based retailing | 97.5 | 97.3 | 97.1 | 96.9 | 96.8 | −0.2 |
Grocery retailers | 94.8 | 94.4 | 94.3 | 94.0 | 93.8 | −0.3 |
Modern grocery retailers | 40.5 | 41.3 | 41.6 | 41.7 | 41.7 | 0.7 |
Discounters | 10.8 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 3.3 |
Forecourt retailers | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | −1.9 |
Hypermarkets | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 9.4 | −1.0 |
Supermarkets | 17.2 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.6 | 0.6 |
Traditional grocery retailers | 54.3 | 53.2 | 52.6 | 52.3 | 52.1 | −1.0 |
Independent small groceries | 54.3 | 53.2 | 52.6 | 52.3 | 52.1 | −1.0 |
Non-grocery specialists | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
Internet retailing | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 6.4 |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Distribution channel | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | CAGR* % 2013-2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Store-based retailing | 97.8 | 97.3 | 97.0 | 96.8 | 96.8 | −0.3 |
Grocery retailers | 95.1 | 94.5 | 94.2 | 94.0 | 93.9 | −0.3 |
Modern grocery retailers | 86.5 | 86.6 | 86.8 | 86.8 | 87.0 | 0.1 |
Discounters | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 0.9 |
Forecourt retailers | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.0 | −8.9 |
Hypermarkets | 29.8 | 29.9 | 30.0 | 30.4 | 30.5 | 0.6 |
Supermarkets | 45.3 | 45.5 | 45.5 | 45.6 | 45.7 | 0.2 |
Traditional grocery retailers | 8.6 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 7.0 | −5.0 |
Food/drink/tobacco specialists | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.0 |
Independent small groceries | 7.3 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 5.7 | −6.0 |
Non-grocery specialists | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 1.8 |
Internet retailing | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 9.8 |
Source: Euromonitor International *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
Price
Organic products in Italy have always been more expensive than conventional products due to higher manufacturing costs. The fact that organic production tends to be in the hands of smaller local manufacturers also contributes to higher prices. Given consumers' increasing interest in organic products, large grocery retailers have been investing in their own organic private label lines, and thanks to their large scale production capacity, they have been able to offer lower prices than health specialists and organic stores.
With organic products becoming increasingly ubiquitous across packaged food, the difference in unit price between conventional and organic products is falling. This will be a disadvantage for both health specialists and organic stores, which have built their success on a diverse product offer, but will now have to compete with traditional large grocery retailers offering more competitive prices.
E-commerce
Grocery home delivery sales remain low in 2017 and the it was limited to a few large cities. Over the forecast period online grocery sales are predicted to grow exponentially thanks to the fact that consumers who try the service once are extremely likely to acquire the habit quickly.
For instance, Ecor NaturaSì has achieved strong growth in recent years as higher-income consumers have embraced an organic lifestyle. Besides strong outlet expansion, the company also teamed up with Amazon so consumers could order groceries online for home delivery.
Product launch analysis
In the last five years, 4,122 new organic products were launched Italy. Out of these, 2,093 were actually new organic products on the shelves of Italian grocery stores. Featured products are increasingly being relaunched with new formulas and organic ingredients.

Description of above image
Launch Type | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Total sample |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New product | 422 | 286 | 307 | 496 | 582 | 2,093 |
New variety/range extension | 188 | 177 | 221 | 299 | 469 | 1,354 |
New packaging | 89 | 74 | 98 | 102 | 128 | 491 |
Relaunch | 23 | 18 | 19 | 33 | 63 | 156 |
New formulation | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 18 |
Total sample | 726 | 557 | 646 | 932 | 1,251 | 4,112 |
Source: Mintel 2018
Over the forecast period, Italian consumers are increasingly willing to spend on high-end organic processed products that promote values such as sustainability, local production, and incorporate organic ingredients. (Euromonitor International, 2018)

Description of above image
Sub-category | New product | New variety/range extension | New packaging | Relaunch | New formulation | Total sample |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pasta | 143 | 121 | 31 | 11 | 1 | 307 |
Savoury biscuits/crackers | 80 | 95 | 28 | 12 | 1 | 216 |
Oils | 77 | 51 | 38 | 6 | 0 | 172 |
Vegetables | 71 | 82 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 165 |
Nectars | 56 | 62 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 153 |
Meat substitutes | 74 | 44 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 138 |
Baking ingredients and mixes | 51 | 64 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 129 |
Sweet biscuits/cookies | 64 | 46 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 127 |
Bread and bread products | 45 | 66 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 125 |
Tea | 50 | 52 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 117 |
Juice | 67 | 31 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 116 |
Confiture and fruit spreads | 47 | 28 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 100 |
Plant based drinks (dairy alternatives) | 30 | 30 | 26 | 12 | 1 | 99 |
Stuffing, polenta and other side dishes | 54 | 23 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 91 |
Cold cereals | 36 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 76 |
Total sample | 2,093 | 1,354 | 491 | 156 | 18 | 4,112 |
Source: Mintel, 2018
The Italian organic bakery sector is one of the most innovative sectors in terms of innovation and adaptive to consumer demand and trends. Pasta, breads and biscuits and natural oils are the most popular products. Demand for organic beverages is also increasing.

Description of above image
Sub-category | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Total sample |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pasta | 52 | 44 | 19 | 80 | 112 | 307 |
Savoury biscuits/crackers | 49 | 40 | 36 | 43 | 48 | 216 |
Oils | 30 | 25 | 18 | 52 | 47 | 172 |
Vegetables | 38 | 33 | 20 | 47 | 27 | 165 |
Nectars | 29 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 40 | 153 |
Meat substitutes | 17 | 19 | 10 | 37 | 55 | 138 |
Baking ingredients and mixes | 17 | 19 | 14 | 29 | 50 | 129 |
Sweet biscuits/cookies | 30 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 44 | 127 |
Bread and bread products | 23 | 9 | 19 | 27 | 47 | 125 |
Tea | 23 | 9 | 27 | 16 | 42 | 117 |
Juice | 7 | 17 | 33 | 28 | 31 | 116 |
Confiture and fruit spreads | 14 | 11 | 12 | 22 | 41 | 100 |
Plant based drinks (dairy alternatives) | 12 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 26 | 99 |
Stuffing, polenta and other side dishes | 16 | 20 | 8 | 19 | 28 | 91 |
Cold cereals | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 26 | 76 |
Total sample | 726 | 557 | 646 | 932 | 1,251 | 4,112 |
Source: Mintel, 2018
Product launches example
Organic Smoked Tofu

Company | Yogibio |
---|---|
Brand | Bio Mi Gusta |
Category | Processed fish, meat and egg |
Sub-category | Meat substitutes |
Country | Italy |
Store name | Pam Panorama |
Store type | Supermarket |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New product |
Price in local currency | €1.99 |
Price in US dollars | 2.37 |
Bio Mi Gusta Tofu Affumicato (Organic Smoked Tofu) is ready to use and can be consumed with salads, cold with bread or stir fried with vegetables. The vegan product retails in a 100 gram (g) pack featuring the EU Green Leaf and the CCPB (Controllo e Certificazione Prodotti Biologici) logo.
Organic Vegan Christmas Cake

Company | Probios |
---|---|
Brand | Probios Go Vegan! |
Category | Bakery |
Sub-category | Cakes, pastries and sweet goods |
Country | Italy |
Country of manufacture | Italy |
Import status | Not imported |
Store name | L'Orto Biologico |
Store type | Specialist retailer |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New variety/Range extension |
Price in local currency | €11.99 |
Price in US dollars | 14.11 |
Probios Go Vegan! Dolce Natale Biologico Vegan (Organic Vegan Christmas Cake) is made with wheat, sourdough starter and agave syrup, and contains dark chocolate drops. According to the manufacturer, the sourdough used for the leavening process comes from the one used by Bakery Masters in the 1932, resulting in a slower and more complex raising, and a very soft dough. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic certified product is free from palm oil, butter and eggs, and retails in a 500g pack featuring the EU Green Leaf logo.
Vanilla Flavoured Yogurt Snack

Company | Cooperativa Latteria Vipiteno Soc. Agricola |
---|---|
Brand | Sterzing Vipiteno Bio |
Category | Dairy |
Sub-category | Spoonable Yogurt |
Country | Italy |
Store name | Carrefour Market |
Store type | Supermarket |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New variety/Range extension |
Price in local currency | €1.29 |
Price in US dollars | 1.52 |
Sterzing Vipiteno Bio Yogurt Snack alla Vaniglia (Vanilla Flavoured Yogurt Snack) is described as a vanilla flavoured yogurt with crispies with milk chocolate spelt. This organic certified product retails in a 170g pack.
Ladyfinger Biscuits

Company | EcorNaturaSì |
---|---|
Brand | Ecor I Biscotti |
Category | Bakery |
Sub-category | Sweet Biscuits/Cookies |
Country | Italy |
Store name | L'Orto Biologico |
Store type | Specialist Retailer |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New variety/Range extension |
Price in local currency | €2.63 |
Price in US dollars | 3.10 |
Ecor I Biscotti Savoiardi (Ladyfinger Biscuits) are now available. This organic-certified product retails in a 200g pack, featuring the EU Green Leaf logo.
Organic Sauce with Basil

Company | EcorNaturaSì |
---|---|
Brand | Ecor dalla Nostra Filiera |
Category | Sauces and seasonings |
Sub-category | Pasta sauces |
Country | Italy |
Country of manufacture | Italy |
Store type | Natural/Health food store |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New product |
Price in local currency | €2.20 |
Price in US dollars | 2.59 |
Ecor dalla Nostra Filiera Sugo al Basilico Biologico (Organic Sauce with Basil) is made with tomato, basil and extra virgin olive oil, and is a 100% Italian. According to the manufacturer, the range of products this sauce belongs to is made in collaboration with organic and biodynamic farmers, and is carefully checked from field to the end of the production process. This sauce retails in a 180g pack featuring the EU Green Leaf and the Demeter logos.
Hibiscus with Pomegranate Aroma Fruit Tea

Company | Jan Spider |
---|---|
Brand | Gardenolo |
Category | Hot beverages |
Sub-category | Tea |
Country | Italy |
Store name | Coop |
Store type | Supermarket |
Store address | Castel Maggiore 40013 |
Date published | December 2017 |
Launch type | New product |
Price in local currency | €3.49 |
Price in US dollars | 4.11 |
Gardenolo Infuso a Base di Karkadé con Melograno e Aroma di Frutta (Hibiscus with Pomegranate Aroma Fruit Tea) is described as an organic tea made to soothe evenings with the finest Mediterranean tones. This product retails in a 50g pack containing 20 × 2.75g tea bags, bearing the EKO and EU Green Leaf logos.
For more information
International Trade Commissioners can provide Canadian industry with on-the-ground expertise regarding market potential, current conditions and local business contacts, and are an excellent point of contact for export advice.
For additional intelligence on this and other markets, the complete library of Global Analysis reports can be found on the International agri-food market intelligence page, arranged by region.
For additional Information on SIAL Paris 2018, please contact:
Ben Berry, Deputy Director
Trade Show Strategy and Delivery
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
ben.berry@canada.ca
Resources
- Euromonitor International, 2018. Consumer Health, Retail Sales by Prime Positioning, world.
- Mintel Global New Products Database, 2018.
- Mintel Market Size Database, 2018
- Global Trade Tracker: 2018
- Rapporto 2017 ISMEA – Qualitivita (in Italian only)
- European Union agricultural product quality policy
Health and wellness series – Organic processed food in Italy
Global Analysis Report
Prepared by: François Thériault, Market Analyst
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2018).
Photo credits
All photographs reproduced in this publication are used by permission of the rights holders.
All images, unless otherwise noted, are copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.
To join our distribution list or to suggest additional report topics or markets, please contact:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis1341 Baseline Road, Tower 5, 3rd floor
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0C5
Email: aafc.mas-sam.aac@canada.ca
The Government of Canada has prepared this report based on primary and secondary sources of information. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information contained herein.
Reproduction or redistribution of this document, in whole or in part, must include acknowledgement of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as the owner of the copyright in the document, through a reference citing AAFC, the title of the document and the year. Where the reproduction or redistribution includes data from this document, it must also include an acknowledgement of the specific data source(s), as noted in this document.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides this document and other report services to agriculture and food industry clients free of charge.
Report a problem on this page
- Date modified: