Generational Produce Trends Are Reshaping the Category

Produce has a frequency problem, not a demand problem, and younger shoppers are redefining how and why they buy it.

By: Andrew Brown, Senior Manager, Industry Relations, FMI

Produce remains a cornerstone of the grocery trip, but the category faces a growing challenge. Shoppers say they value fresh fruits and vegetables, yet according to The Power of Produce 2026, only 31% eat them daily. That gap points to a frequency problem, not a demand problem, and generational shifts are accelerating it.

Boomers still account for the largest share of produce dollars, and Millennials and Gen X drive most of the growth. However, Gen Z is beginning to reshape how shoppers discover, evaluate and purchase produce. But, right now, fruit is winning across all generations.

Fruit now accounts for nearly 56% of total produce volume, fueled by Millennials and Gen Z, who over-index on fruit purchases and consumption. Gen Z is the most likely generation to say they are eating more fruits and vegetables than last year, while Boomers lag behind. Younger shoppers are not just buying more fruit but integrating it into more occasions, especially breakfast and snacking.

Vegetables tell a different story. Dinner remains the primary occasion, but it has not expanded at the same pace. Less than a third report always or usually including vegetables at breakfast, and just over 50% include them with lunch. That leaves a clear opportunity for retailers to reposition vegetables beyond the evening meal.

Additionally, cost pressures continue to shape behavior across every generation. Forty-four percent of consumers eat fresh produce three days a week or less, and younger and lower-income households are more likely to limit consumption to a few days per week. Price remains the top barrier, especially for vegetables, yet nearly half of shoppers still cite health as a primary motivator for produce consumption. That tension defines the category. Shoppers want to eat healthily, but they need help making it affordable, convenient and routine. For all generations, value extends beyond price. Shoppers weigh freshness, taste and health benefits alongside cost when deciding what to buy.

For retailers, the path forward is clear but not simple:

• Close the frequency gap. If only a quarter of shoppers eat produce 4-5 days a week, growth will come from increasing how often shoppers use the category, not just what they buy. That means building solutions around snacking, convenience and smaller, repeatable occasions.
• Rethink vegetables. Fruit has expanded by aligning with modern eating habits. Expanding the role of vegetables beyond dinner is one of the largest untapped opportunities in the department.
• Treat digital as primary merchandising. Younger shoppers are not waiting to be inspired in store. Retailers need to show up earlier with relevant, actionable content that connects directly to purchase.
• Define value more clearly. Price matters, but it is not enough. Winning retailers will combine affordability with freshness, quality and practical solutions that make eating produce easier.
  

Boomers will continue to anchor the category, but Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z will define its future. Retailers that adapt to how these groups shop, eat and discover produce will capture growth and help close the gap between intention and action that defines the category today.

Read the Power of Produce 2026