“After record-breaking sales of herbal supplements during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first drop in sales in nearly a decade in 2022, the return to annual sales growth in 2023 is remarkable,” said Tyler Smith, managing editor of HerbalGram and lead author on ABC’s annual Herb Market Reports since 2014.
“After years of pandemic-related fluctuations, several signs point to a market that is continuing to normalize, including increased consumer spending on products marketed for healthy aging and the ongoing sales decline for some ingredients commonly used for immune health. For a market segment that has seen annual sales growth for most years since at least 2000, a return to ‘normal’ is clearly a welcome development.”
The 4.4% increase observed from 2022 to 2023, which corresponds to an additional consumer spend of $533 million year-on-year, is lower than the average annual increases of 8.2% from 2015 to 2019. However, the return to positive growth in 2023 after a slight 1.9% contraction in 2022 suggests that consumer sales may be returning to the previous upward trend.
Top sellers and highest growth herbs
The 2023 Herb Market Report is based on U.S. retail sales data provided by Chicago-based SPINS* and Colorado-based Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ)**. The sales figures for individual herbs and fungi discussed in the Herb Market Report reflect sales of herbal dietary supplements in which the particular herbal or fungal substance (or derivative thereof) is the primary ingredient.
Writing in HerbalGram #141, Smith and his co-authors noted psyllium maintained the top spot in the mainstream channel with $276.1 million in sales in 2023, representing a 2.7% increase on 2022.
Despite a 27.7% decrease in sales year-on-year, elder berry maintained the number two spot with almost $177 million in sales. Rounding out the top five were turmeric ($133.3 million in sales), ashwagandha ($120.4 million) and apple cider vinegar ($101 million).
The highest growth in the mainstream channel came from beet root, up 108% from 2022. This elevated beet root to number eight on the list, with $65 million in sales.
Six other ingredients on the top 40 list in this channel had sales increases greater than 20%: wheatgrass/barley grass (104% growth), bacopa (72%), oat (58%), cinnamon (53%), ginkgo (43%) and guarana (36%).
Only three ingredients had significant mainstream sales decreases in 2023: ivy leaf, elder berry, and cannabidiol (CBD, derived from hemp).
Berberine trends drive huge sales growth for barberry
In the natural channel, turmeric maintained its position as the top selling herb for the third year in a row with $37 million in sales. This was followed by CBD ($30 million), elder berry ($24.1 million), mushrooms (other) ($20.9 million), and ashwagandha ($20 million).
The highest sales growth in the natural channel came from barberry, with sales nearly doubling from the 2022. The authors linked this to the increased awareness and popularity of berberine, a naturally occurring alkaloid found in barberry and other plant species, which trended on some social media platforms in 2023.
Six other ingredients on the top 40 list in the natural channel had sales increases greater than 20%: mushrooms (other) (31%), milk thistle (26%), algae (24.4%), black cumin (23.7%), beet root (22.5%) and kava (22.5%). Only quercetin and elder berry experienced sales declines greater than 20%.
“The growth of herbal dietary supplement sales in 2023 indicates U.S. consumers’ continued interest in building and maintaining optimal health using plant- and fungi-based dietary supplements,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC.
“With few exceptions, sales of herbal dietary supplements have been on a steady increase for the past 20 years, a trend that reflects a significant demographic movement, i.e., the growing commitment to natural health by millions of Americans.”
Source: HerbalGram
2024, Issue 141
“US sales of herbal supplements increase 4.4% in 2023”
Authors: T. Smith et al.
* SPINS data is derived from sales in the mainstream and natural channels: The mainstream channel includes grocery stores, drug stores, and mass merchandisers such as club, dollar, and military stores. The natural channel includes co-ops, associations, independent retailers, and large regional chains (excluding Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s).
** NBJ sales figures are reportedly based on data from market research firms, company surveys, interviews with major retailers and industry experts, and other secondary materials.