United States Microgreens Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

United States Microgreens Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The US Microgreens Market is projected to register a CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period (2022-2027). Do-it-yourself microgreens have provided a sustainable alternative as the COVID-19 pandemic changed people's thinking about their food buying habits. Microgreens do not have a direct effect on the virus, but they do help indirectly by protecting organs, strengthening one's immune system, and assisting in the development of a first-line defensive system against the virus. As a result, consumer demand for microgreens has increased, and the market is likely to develop during the projection period.

The growing health consciousness among American consumers has led people to consume a diet full of nutrients which has led to the adoption of indoor farming practices. Cultivation of microgreens has become an integral part of indoor farming as consumers prefer to have them in their daily diet due to their nutrient-dense profile. As more consumer insights develop toward fresh-from-farm-to-table, the availability of freshly harvested microgreens across retail outlets is expected to increase in the country. The tender leafy greens, which are in a pleasing palette of colors, textures, and flavors, have favored its applications in restaurants. Microgreens are gaining popularity as a new culinary ingredient for chefs and are used to enhance salads or as edible garnishes to embellish a wide variety of other dishes.

By sales channel, the restaurant segment dominates the market owing to the fact that microgreens are likely to influence the diners to produce shopping habits in the future, with the microgreens being treated as a culinary trend across the country's cuisines. Thus, the growing importance of a healthy diet among consumers, especially the millennial population, is augmenting market growth for microgreens and is anticipated to increase during the forecast period.

The growing health consciousness among American consumers has led people to consume a diet full of nutrients, which has led to the adoption of indoor farming practices. Over the last few years, the interest in fresh and functional foods has been on the rise, compelling the growing consumer interest in healthy eating. This, in turn, has driven the market demand for microgreens in United States.

Microgreens are a rich source of polyphenols, a class of antioxidants that lower the risk of diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and certain cancers. Moreover, a study by the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that microgreens are 40 times more nutritious than their mature counterparts. Consumers not only practice indoor farming at home, but it is also largely being cultivated in major greenhouses across United States. Thus, the market for microgreens is anticipated to grow in the years to come. According to an article by Agrilyst, the distribution of greenhouses across United States in different regions varied, but the greenhouse cultivation of microgreens was the highest in South and North East regions, each accounting for 71% and 59% in 2020.

There is a growing concept that companies lend out small portions of microgreen indoor farming to consumers on their farms. People can select a part of the greenhouse to cultivate their microgreens. Such a concept is highly prevalent in United States. The companies such as Babylon and FarmOne are providing such services widely across the States. Therefore, initiatives like these will help in the progress of the market in the years to come.​Consumers in the country are more focused on growing leafy greens and microgreens than any other vegetables. Thus, the growing adoption of protected cultivation has led the market to grow moderately.​

Microgreens are used as a fresh flavor ingredient serving upscale cuisines. They have become one of the solid ingredients in the finest restaurants. According to the National Restaurant Association, microgreens are likely to influence the diners’ produce shopping habits in the future, with the microgreens being treated as a culinary trend across the country’s cuisines. Nearly 51% of the chefs predicted that microgreens are a hot trend in eateries. In 2019, Fresh Origins claimed that PetiteGreen Season’s Mix was one of the company’s most commonly sold products for the restaurants and hotels segment. Similarly, in 2019, Robinette Farms, another popular farm, claimed to have prosperous results from the restaurant segment. The company also mentioned that the most commonly preferred standard for the restaurants and hoteling segment varies between 4 and 8 ounces. Thus, the ongoing culinary trend for microgreen preference across the US cuisines, together with the increasing supply to the hoteling segment, is likely to enhance microgreen sales in the years to come.

The US Microgreens Market is fragmented, with some players like Farmbox Greens LLC, Metro Microgreens, Fresh Origins, Florida Microgreens, The Chef’s Garden Inc., and Aerofarms LLC being the prominent market players. These major players are investing in new products and improvisation of products, expansions, and acquisitions for business expansions. Another major area of investment is the focus on R&D to launch new products at lower prices.

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