HerbalEGram: Volume 8, Number 10, October 2011
Estimated Herb-Sales Growth in 2010: ClarificationNew information from the Nutrition
Business Journal (NBJ)—a source for
The American Botanical Council’s annual Herb
Market Report—has altered its estimated percentage of 2010
herb-sales growth published in HerbalGram
90 earlier this year.1 Based on information available at the time of
publication, the estimated increase in sales of herbs in all channels initially
reported by HerbalGram was 3.3%.1
However, subsequent to that issue’s release, more information has been procured
by NBJ that decreased the estimated growth
of herb sales in 2010 to just 0.2%, the figure published in NBJ’s June/July issue.
“Our models are very dynamic and the numbers we provide earlier in the year are
estimates,” said Patrick Rea, NBJ publisher
and editorial director (oral communication, September 9, 2011). “If we get
better information, we will change.”
According to Carla Ooyen, NBJ’s
director of market research, the publication gathers data throughout the year
from public sources and through interviews with industry insiders (oral
communication, September 9, 2011). NBJ
ultimately received evidence that the Food, Drug, and Mass Market
channel—specifically WalMart—and the Network (or Multi-Level) Marketing channel—specifically
superfruit juice distributor MonaVie—did not perform at projected levels,
according to Ooyen.
“NBJ uses a variety of primary and secondary sources to gauge the size and
growth of the industry,” said Ooyen. “We consider scanner data from sources
such as SPINS, IRI, and Nielsen, public company filings, conduct various
interviews with company executives, and conduct online surveys. We also use our
15-year analysis of the industry for a basis of our data” (e-mail
communication, September 12, 2011).
Because of the probable reason for the remarkable growth of herb sales in 2009
(an increase of almost 5%), the fact that the figure for 2010 remained positive
is still significant. Concern about H1N1—or the “swine flu”—likely contributed
to the boost in overall herb sales in ’09, but the fervor of that concern had
ceased by the following year, suggesting that Americans continued to integrate
herbs in their healthcare and nutrition regimens.
—Ashley Lindstrom
References
1. Blumenthal
M, Lindstrom A, Lynch ME, Rea P. Herb Sales Continue Growth – Up 3.3% in 2010. HerbalGram. 2011;90:64-67.
|
|