Denver – U.S. retail sales volume of potatoes was up 5.4 percent in July–September 2024 compared to the same period last year. Every category where volume rose — including fresh potatoes, chips, frozen potatoes, refrigerated potatoes, and deli-prepared sides — saw increases of more than 5 percent.
Total dollar sales were stable at $4.5 billion for the period (-0.2 percent), and consumer price declined 5.3 percent.
Frozen potatoes saw the largest volume increase (6.6 percent), followed by chips (6.5 percent). Volume only decreased for instant potatoes (-1.4 percent) and canned potatoes (-5.0 percent), which represent 6 percent and 0.6 percent of volume sales respectively.
Potato chips saw increased dollar sales (3.2 percent), as did refrigerated potatoes (5 percent) and deli-prepared sides (7.4 percent). Dollar sales for frozen potatoes were stable (-0.01 percent), while they fell for fresh potatoes (-8.6 percent), instant potatoes (-1.5 percent), and canned potatoes (-2.5 percent).
Volume sales for fresh potatoes rose 5.0 percent. Russet, yellow, petite, and medley potatoes all saw volume increases of more than 5 percent. Russets, which make up 65 percent of fresh volume sales, had a volume increase of 10.6 percent. Fresh dollar sales increased for yellow (5.6 percent), petite (1.7 percent), medley (5.1 percent), and fingerling (5.4 percent) potatoes. Overall, fresh consumer prices were down 13 percent, with an average price per pound of $0.95.
Smaller pack sizes of fresh potatoes (less than 2 pounds and 2-4 pounds) increased in both dollar and volume sales. Five-pound packs, which make up the largest volume share of fresh potato sales, increased (2.0 percent) but decreased in dollar sales (10.3 percent). Ten-pound packs also grew in volume sales (7.9 percent) but fell in dollar sales by 17.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
The Fresh Potato Retail PDF report is attached or you can download them here: