.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale "Natural Foods Merchandiser logo")
Subscribe and receive the latest updates on trends, data, events and more.
Join 57,000+ members of the natural products community.
NFM Staff
July 1, 2016
5 Min Read
![Market Overview: Business statistics [charts]](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/blt50da446aad87f31e/64e87d49421cd43d9b9a1f94/market-overview-business-st_0.jpg?width=850&auto=webp&quality=95&format=jpg&disable=upscale "Market Overview: Business statistics [charts]")
The 2016 edition of Natural Foods Merchandiser’s Market Overview represents the 36th year the magazine has presented statistics on store operations and the state of the natural products industry. From $1.9 billion in 1980 to $52 billion in 2015, sales in the natural products retail channels have come a long way.
The charts below provide natural channel business statistics about sales, product offerings, customers and employees. Find all 2016 Market Overview charts here.
Business statistics
| Total | Natural products stores | Health food stores | Supplement stores |
Average # of natural products stores under same ownership | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
Average square feet of store (retail ONLY) | 5,033 | 7,592 | 3,548 | 1,563 |
Average annual sales per RETAIL square foot | $655 | $755 | $415 | $279 |
Average number of years store has been open | 28.3 | 29.2 | 27.8 | 26.1 |
Average sales allocation |
|
|
|
|
USDA Certified Organic (70% organic or more) | 48% | 54% | 49% | 24% |
Natural products | 46% | 38% | 47% | 70% |
Conventional products | 6% | 7% | 4% | 5% |
Other | 1% | 1% | 0% | 2% |
% sales non-GMO certified | 38% | 38% | 42% | 29% |
% offering private label products | 58% | 68% | 54% | 40% |
food | 23% | 35% | 17% | 2% |
supplements | 44% | 47% | 45% | 35% |
personal care | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Customers |
|
|
|
|
Average number of customers per day | 362 | 662 | 141 | 51 |
Average sale per customer | $34.00 | $30.15 | $34.96 | $42.87 |
Employees |
|
|
|
|
Average number of full-time employees | 18 | 32 | 8 | 3 |
Average number of part-time employees - 15-30 hours | 12 | 20 | 6 | 3 |
Average number rof part time employees - <15 hours | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Business statistics for natural products and health food stores
| Natural products stores | Health food stores |
| <=3,000 retail | 3,001-6,000 retail |
Average # of natural products stores under same ownership | 1.2 | 1.3 |
Average square feet of store (retail ONLY) | 1,995 | 4,315 |
Average annual sales per RETAIL square foot | $779 | $715 |
Average number of years store has been open | 23.0 | 26.6 |
Average sales allocation | ||
USDA Certified Organic (70% organic or more) | 56% | 61% |
Natural products | 35% | 35% |
Conventional products | 7% | 3% |
Other | 1% | 0% |
% sales non-GMO certified | 44% | 40% |
% offering private label products | 46% | 60% |
Food | 31% | 24% |
Supplements | 13% | 45% |
Personal care | 8% | 0% |
Customers | ||
Average number of customers per day | 182 | 362 |
Average sale per customer | $30.16 | $30.20 |
Employees | ||
Average number of full-time employees | 7 | 18 |
Average number of part-time employees - 15-30 hours | 9 | 12 |
Average number rof part time employees - <15 hours | 1 | 1 |
Business statistics for supplement stores
| Supplement stores |
| <=1,200 retail |
Average # of natural products stores under same ownership | 1.0 |
Average square feet of store (retail ONLY) | 961 |
Average annual sales per RETAIL square foot | $388 |
Average number of years store has been open | 23.3 |
Average sales allocation | |
USDA Certified Organic (70% organic or more) | 24% |
Natural products | 71% |
Conventional products | 2% |
Other | 3% |
% sales non-GMO certified | 41% |
% offering private label products | 46% |
Food | 4% |
Supplements | 33% |
Personal care | 8% |
Customers | |
Average number of customers per day | 39 |
Average sale per customer | $48.29 |
Employees | |
Average number of full-time employees | 2 |
Average number of part-time employees - 15-30 hours | 2 |
Average number rof part time employees - <15 hours | 0 |
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like
