Social media has been a boon for garlic, says Mike Smith, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Spice World. With social media unlocking new flavors and cuisines, it’s no secret garlic plays an important role.
“It’s easy for cooks to find videos or posts for every type of cuisine, and many have instructional videos, so it takes away some of the trepidation for trying a new recipe,” he says. “Food is also an enjoyable way to sample different cultures and cuisines, and garlic is a main ingredient in many cultural dishes.”
Tracie Levin, controller at M. Levin and Co., says garlic is a key item in shoppers’ carts thanks to its versatility.
“Garlic is one of those items that the consumer will pick up at the store just to have on hand, while not having any specific meal intended for it,” she says. “It’s a staple ingredient that stores can use as a good ‘grab-and-go’ item to fill their cart. Most consumers who cook will always have garlic on hand.”
Trends
Levin says convenience has played a major role in garlic purchases, noting that while fresh bulbs of garlic will last longer than pre-peeled bulbs, consumers still seek to speed up meal prep.
“The demand for peeled and minced garlic has soared in recent years as people are looking to save time while doing their meal prep,” she says. “Peeled and minced garlic is a time-saving value-added product.”
Smith, too, says the modern shopper sees value-added as an easy way to add flavor to recipes.
“Time is a valuable commodity,” he says. “Today’s cooks appreciate the simplicity of quickly adding delicious flavor to their favorite recipes. Interest in value-added products continues to grow, especially for busy families.”
Smith says peeled and minced garlic is also a great way for consumers to add flavor, especially if they might be intimidated by handling fresh garlic.
“Some consumers will shy away from using garlic because they think it’s too complicated to handle or take too long to prep,” he says. “Our value-added products are pre-minced, and our website has tips on how to mince your own garlic.”
As consumers’ overall interest in organic produce grows, Smith says he’s seeing interest continue to rise for organic garlic.
“We are seeing Gen Z and millennials select organic produce as their first choice,” he says. “According to the Organic Trade Association, organic products continue to see steady growth — up 5.2% year over year in 2024, which is double the overall marketplace increase of 2.5%.”
Black and purple garlic offer consumers different flavor profiles than traditional white garlic. And Levin says that while consumers continue to seek out new flavors, white garlic continues to be the No. 1 seller for M. Levin and Co.
Smith says he’s seen a growing interest in black garlic globally.
“According to Market Statsville Group, the black garlic global market is experiencing strong growth, driven by increasing consumer awareness of its health benefits and its appeal as a culinary ingredient,”
he says.
Tariff Impact
Anthony Serafino, president of Exp Group, a multinational company with a network of production, importation and distribution of tropical fruits and vegetables, says tariffs have impacted the garlic industry. Exporters look to other countries to avoid the tariffs imposed on imported garlic from China.
“China’s losing the game on garlic,” he says. “I think garlic is getting picked up in different parts of the world and being
imported into our country, and we’re seeing the Chinese lose out in the market.”
Serafino says he says he has seen more stable pricing with the market being undersupplied.
“Pricing is holding up on our end,” he says. “Because of China now, prices are holding. They’re not going higher or lower. I think it’s much more stable from what we’re seeing on our analysis, on our end.”
And retailers have been more willing to procure garlic from other countries, including Turkey, to keep garlic supplies up in stores, Serafino says.
“An empty shelf is every retailer’s nightmare,” he says. “People just want the item. People don’t want to be told that they don’t have the item anymore.”
Promotion Tips
Smith says it’s essential that retailers capitalize on this interest with cross-merchandising in stores. Seafood, meat and deli sections are excellent places to promote garlic.
“Garlic can add great flavor to almost any meal,” he says.
Levin says she’s also seen success with garlic throughout the produce department thanks to its versatility in the kitchen.
“It pairs well with many items across departments at the retail level, and therefore we are now seeing garlic in various areas throughout the produce departments, not just in one spot,” she says.
Smith suggests retailers consider surrounding garlic with produce that works well with it.
“Tomatoes, onions, tomatillos, peppers and other produce marry well with garlic and look great on displays with our garlic products,” he says.
Smith also suggests retailers consider when to promote garlic to help boost sales.
“From an online perspective, promoting garlic on weekends when consumers are planning their weekly meals is another great way to maximize sales,” he says. “Garlic is a versatile pantry staple ingredient and can be enjoyed all year round, but there are key times of year when consumers are thinking about time savings.”
Times like the holidays, back to school and around the new year and healthy eating are all times when time is a luxury and consumers might be more drawn to value-added products, he says.
Levin says eye-catching displays are always a must to help drive sales.
“Retailers can use themed displays such as seasonal promotions and they can also incorporate recipe cards to spark the at-home chef’s culinary imagination,” she says. P
