Market Overview – United States

Note: This report includes forecasting data that is based on baseline historical data.

Market snapshot

In 2019, American largest crop was maize, with total production of 347.0 million tonnes. The country's maize production has increased slightly since 2015 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.1%. Seed cotton saw the largest CAGR increases from 2015 to 2019, at a CAGR of 11.2%. While sorghum experienced the largest CAGR decreases from 2015 to 2019 at a CAGR of −13.0%.

In terms of meat production, beef and bison meat had the largest CAGR increase from 2015 to 2019 at 4.0%, while poultry recorded increases of 2.1%.

In 2020, American total agri-food and seafood imports from the world were valued at US$172.4 billion, of which US$28.7 billion was from Canada, representing 16.6% of American total imports.

American agri-food and seafood imports from Canada increased at a CAGR of 2.8% from 2016 to 2020, reaching US$28.7 billion. American top imports from Canada in 2020 were bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares (US$2,2 billion), fresh/chilled bovine meat (US$1.4 billion) and canola oil (US$1.3 billion). Canadian canola oil and oilcake represented almost 100% of American total global imports of canola oil and oilcake, and Canadian frozen French fries accounted for 86.3% of American total global imports of frozen French fries.

Total sales of packaged food in in the United States increased by a CAGR of 4.6% over the period from 2016 to 2020 and are expected to remain steady through to 2025.

Total retail sales in the health and wellness food and drink products grew by a CAGR of 3.5% for the period 2016 to 2020, and are expected to grow by a CAGR of 3.1% between 2021 and 2025.

 

Production

In 2019, American largest crop was maize, with total production of 347.0 million tonnes. The country's maize production has increased slightly since 2015 at a CAGR of 0.1%. Seed cotton saw the largest CAGR increases from 2015 to 2019, at a CAGR of 11.2%. While sorghum experienced the largest CAGR decreases from 2015 to 2019 at a CAGR of −13.0%.

In terms of meat production, beef and buffalo meat had the largest CAGR increase from 2015 to 2019 at 4.0%, while poultry recorded increases of 2.1%.

Crop production in the United States, 2015 to 2019, measured in million tonnes
Top 10 crops 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 CAGR* % 2015-2019
Maize 345.5 412.3 371.1 364.3 347.0 0.1
Soybeans 107.0 116.9 120.1 120.5 96.8 −2.5
Wheat 55.8 62.8 47.4 51.3 52.3 −1.6
Sugar cane 29.1 29.1 30.2 31.3 29.0 −0.1
Sugar beet 32.1 33.5 32.0 30.2 25.9 −5.2
Potatoes 20.0 20.4 20.5 20.4 19.2 −1.1
Seed cotton 8.5 10.1 12.0 11.1 13.0 11.2
Tomatoes 14.6 12.9 11.1 12.6 10.9 −7.1
Sorghum 15.2 12.2 9.2 9.3 8.7 −13.0
Rice, paddy 8.7 10.2 8.1 10.2 8.4 −1.0

Source: FAOSTAT, 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Meat production in the United States, 2015 to 2019, measured in '000 tonnes
Meats 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 CAGR* % 2015-2019
Beef and bison meat 10,777.6 11,470.6 11,907.2 12,219.2 12,348.7 3.5
Meat, poultry 21,017.4 21,483.1 21,914.2 22,298.2 22,857.6 2.1
Sheep and Goat meat 79.3 79.0 76.9 80.9 79.4 0.0

Source: FAOSTAT, 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Livestock production in the United States, 2015 to 2019, slaughtered in '000 heads
Livestock 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 CAGR* % 2015-2019
Beef and bison 29,320.3 31,188.8 32,817.4 33,703.4 34,264.8 4.0
Poultry 9,082,830.0 9,179,509.0 9,319,010.0 9,425,417.0 9,594,453.0 1.4
Sheep and goat 2,909.3 2,910.1 2,871.9 2,978.9 3,088.4 1.5

Source: FAOSTAT, 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Trade

In 2020, American total agri-food and seafood imports from the world were valued at US$172.4 billion, of which US$28.7 billion was from Canada, representing 16.6% of American total imports.

Canada imported US$21.8 billion in agri-food and seafood imports from the Unites States, while Canada's net exports were valued at US$28.6 billion in 2020. Thus Canada has US$6.8 billion trade surplus with the Unites States in 2020.

Canada's gross export gap to the Unites States in agri-food and seafood, in US$ millions
  2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 CAGR* % 2016-2020
Unites States imports from the world 146,812.4 155,629.0 165,081.8 168,340.3 172,404.8 4.1%
Unites States imports from Canada 25,684.8 26,561.6 27,319.0 28,131.0 28,687.0 2.8%
Gross export gap with Canada 121,127.6 129,067.3 137,762.8 140,209.4 143,717.8 4.4%

Source: Global Trade Tracker, as of June 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

American agri-food and seafood imports from Canada increased at a CAGR of 2.8% from 2016 to 2020, reaching US$28.7 billion. American top imports from Canada in 2020 were bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares (US$2,2 billion), fresh/chilled bovine meat (US$1.4 billion) and canola oil (US$1.3 billion). Canadian canola oil and oilcake represented almost 100% of American total global imports of canola oil and oilcake, and Canadian frozen French fries accounted for 86.3% of American total global imports of frozen French fries.

American top 10 agri-food and seafood imports from Canada in 2020, in US$ million, and Canada's share
HS code Description 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 CAGR* % 2016-2020 Canada's market share (%) 2020
Total - Canada 25,684.8 26,561.6 27,319.0 28,131.0 28,687.0 2.8 16.6
190590 bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares 1,393.6 1,559.2 1,849.0 2,061.3 2,152.6 11.5 51.1
020130 fresh/chilled bovine meat, boneless 970.0 1,041.1 1,186.4 1,365.6 1,353.0 8.7 45.1
151419 canola oil 1,206.9 1,358.6 1,302.1 1,333.5 1,348.7 2.8 99.2
230641 canola oilcake 927.6 859.6 930.8 889.2 962.9 0.9 99.6
200410 frozen French fries 786.6 862.2 929.8 905.6 946.1 4.7 86.3
010229 live cattle (excluding pure-bred for breeding) 1,030.5 816.8 757.9 917.4 825.7 −5.4 47.0
210690 food preparations 633.3 722.8 790.8 829.3 825.7 6.9 12.9
030614 frozen crabs 545.3 683.9 619.6 717.2 698.1 6.4 41.7
180620 chocolate, > 2 kg 553.9 549.7 519.4 552.4 590.2 1.6 73.4
180690 chocolate, <= 2 kg 428.4 448.3 490.6 543.4 522.4 5.1 42.1

Source: Global Trade Tracker, as of June 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Retail sales

Total sales of packaged food in in the United States increased by a CAGR of 4.6% over the period from 2016 to 2020 and are expected to remain steady through to 2025.

Dairy, baked goods and savoury snacks were the top three packaged food categories in 2020, recording sales of US$74.0 billion, US$66.9 billion, and US$55.0 billion, respectively. rice, pasta and noodles had the largest CAGR gain for the period from 2016 to 2020, at 9.0%.

Packaged food retail sales in the United States, in US$ billions, historic and forecast
Category 2016 2020 CAGR* % 2016-2020 2021 2025 CAGR* % 2021-2025
Packaged Food 386.2 462.1 4.6 444.0 503.0 3.2
Cooking ingredients and meals 72.1 91.7 6.2 86.8 100.3 3.7
Edible oils 3.6 4.5 6.0 4.1 4.6 3.3
Ready meals 34.9 45.4 6.8 43.5 50.6 3.8
Sauces, dressings and condiments 24.7 31.0 5.9 29.3 34.3 4.0
Soup 4.6 5.5 4.8 5.1 5.5 2.0
Sweet spreads 4.4 5.2 4.2 4.8 5.3 2.4
Dairy products and alternatives 73.0 82.0 3.0 78.5 88.1 2.9
Baby food 7.2 8.0 2.9 7.8 8.5 2.1
Dairy 65.8 74.0 3.0 70.7 79.6 3.0
Staple foods 126.5 154.6 5.1 142.7 160.2 2.9
Baked goods 58.2 66.9 3.5 63.7 71.8 3.0
Breakfast cereals 10.7 12.6 4.1 11.6 13.0 2.9
Processed fruit and vegetables 14.7 17.5 4.4 17.0 19.5 3.5
Processed meat and seafood 34.8 46.2 7.4 41.2 45.8 2.7
Rice, pasta and noodles 8.0 11.3 9.0 9.2 10.0 2.2
Packaged food rolling update - snacks 114.6 131.8 3.5 132.1 153.6 3.8
Confectionery 33.2 35.8 1.9 36.8 43.5 4.2
Ice cream and frozen desserts 15.8 18.6 4.1 17.7 20.1 3.2
Savoury snacks 45.7 55.0 4.7 55.1 62.7 3.3
Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks 19.9 22.4 3.0 22.5 27.4 5.1

Source: Euromonitor, 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Total retail sales in the health and wellness food and drink products grew by a CAGR of 3.5% for the period 2016 to 2020, and are expected to grow by a CAGR of 3.1% between 2021 and 2025.

The fortified/functional food and drink products represented the largest category with retail sales valued at US$67.9 billion in 2020 and are expected to remain the largest category in the forecast period.

Health and wellness food and drink products retail sales in the United States, historic and forecast in US$ billions
Category 2016 2020 CAGR* % 2016-2020 2021 2025 CAGR* % 2021-2025
Total 167.0 191.7 3.5 191.7 216.3 3.1
Better for you (BFY) 40.9 40.9 0.0 40.3 41.4 0.7
Better for you beverages 11.7 12.0 0.7 12.3 13.4 2.1
Better for you packaged food 29.2 28.9 −0.3 28.0 28.0 0.1
Fortified/functional (FF) 60.0 67.9 3.2 69.0 78.0 3.1
Fortified/functional beverages 27.7 33.7 5.0 35.9 43.9 5.1
Fortified/functional packaged food 32.3 34.2 1.5 33.1 34.1 0.8
Free from 9.5 14.3 10.7 14.1 18.2 6.7
Free from allergens 1.2 1.6 6.8 1.5 1.8 4.2
Free from dairy 2.4 3.7 11.0 4.1 5.9 9.7
Free from gluten 2.8 4.0 10.1 3.8 4.8 5.9
Free from lactose 2.0 2.7 8.1 2.6 3.0 3.4
Free from meat 1.1 2.2 18.9 1.9 2.7 8.1
Naturally healthy (NH) 40.2 45.9 3.4 46.0 51.6 2.9
Naturally healthy beverages 18.6 20.3 2.2 21.0 23.6 3.0
Naturally healthy packaged food 21.6 25.6 4.3 25.0 27.9 2.9
NH cereal bars 2.5 2.5 −0.2 2.5 2.5 0.4
Organic 16.4 22.7 8.5 22.5 27.1 4.8
Organic beverages 1.4 1.6 3.4 1.7 2.1 5.4
Organic packaged food 15.0 21.1 8.9 20.7 25.0 4.7

Source: Euromonitor, 2021

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

For more information

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service:

International Trade Commissioners can provide Canadian industry with on-the-ground expertise regarding market potential, current conditions and local business contacts, and are an excellent point of contact for export advice.

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For additional information, please contact:

Ben Berry, Deputy Director
Trade Show Strategy and Delivery
Agriculture and agri-food Canada
ben.berry@agr.gc.ca

More on Canada's agriculture and agri-food sectors:

Canada's agriculture sectors
Information on the agriculture industry by sector. Data on international markets. Initiatives to support awareness of the industry in Canada. How the department engages with the industry.

Resources

  • FAOSTAT, 2021, Agricultural Production – United States
  • Euromonitor, 2021
  • Global Trade Tracker, 2021

Market Overview – United States
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Zhiduo, Wang

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