Angst over the economy, uncertainty caused by the trade war in 2019, increased competition... independent natural products retailers felt the strain last year. But how much did these factors impact the bottom line--and what insights can be gained from 2019 to help retails successfully navigate 2020 amid the COVID-19 crisis?

WholeFoods'42nd Annual Retailer Surveycovers the state of the industry pre-pandemic. And to help ensure independent retailers stay competitive during the current public health crisis and beyond,WholeFoodsMagazine editor-in-chief Maggie Jaqua and merchandising editor Jay Jacobowitz (also president of Retail Insights®) will be delivering key insights from the survey during awebinar on Wednesday, April 29, at 2:00 p.m. EST

Reflecting data from U.S. independent natural retailers operating nearly 800 stores, this year's survey sawWholeFoodsMagazine's largest response ever, providing information that will help those in the natural products industry make business decisions and set retailers up for greater success.

Key finding:Comparing this year’s same-store sales (survey period of July 2018 to June 2019) to last year’s, the survey revealed that growth was 0.86%. "Considering the competition independents face from online retailers such as Amazon and conventional stores that are expanding their reach into natural and organic, it seems flat is the new 'up'” said Jay Jacbowitz, WholeFoods Merchandising Editor and president ofRetail Insights.

Sales drivers: "We asked independent retailers which products and categories had the greatest impact sales," said WholeFoods Editor-in-Chief Maggie Jaqua. "In the supplement category, 42% said CBD/Hemp was impacting sales. In the fresh produce category, 29% pointed to local as a sales driver--a trend that seems to be increasing in 2020 as people reach for nutritious foods to nourish their bodies and promote wellness."

The big picture:WholeFoodsMagazine also published the2020 Retail Insights® Retail Universe for U.S. Premium Natural, Organic Food, Supplement & Personal Care Salesby Jacobowitz. This covers all eight retail channels including supernaturals such as Amazon Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market; conventional supermarkets; mass merchandisers, pharmacies and vitamin chain stores.



In the webinar, Jaqua and Jacobowitz will discuss the findings and answer questions regarding the WholeFoods 42nd Annual Retailer Survey and Retail Insights® 2020 Retail Universe. Questions can also be emailed in advance to editor@wfcinc.com. Register for the webinarhere.