Halloween is just around the corner, and with it comes high retail and candy sales. Since 2008 holiday sales have been down throughout the year, but, for many sectors sales have been creeping up. In 2013, seasonal candy for Halloween reached $217 million, up 12% from 2012. This growth was greater than similar Christmas candy products and close to percentage gains for Valentine’s Day.

The U.S. pet market is one of the largest in the world with dedicated pet parents wanting the best for the little loved ones. Even through the recent economic downturn, sales of dog and cat treats remained strong. With health-conscious decisions becoming more prominent in owners own lives, it makes sense that 38% of pet owners believe that natural and organic pet products are often better than standard brands. The future of pet products will be filled with healthier and natural ingredients.

Cat products account for over a third of sales in the CAN$2 billion Canadian pet products market, and Canadian cat owners are fully in step with the pet pampering and product premiumization trends that have long characterized the U.S. market. By some measures, in fact, Canadian cats are more than a whisker ahead. According to pet owner surveys conducted by Packaged Facts over the April to June 2014 period, 30% of Canadian cat owners purchase cat food formulations that feature poultry or meat as the first ingredient, compared with 19% of U.S. cat owners. 

With the fast-paced lifestyles of the average U.S. consumer, simplicity of snacks and beverages is a must. Bottled water has been around to fill that need since the late 1700s, but even today bottled water is seeing a bright future. As health awareness continues, consumers are going to continue switching from carbonated soft drinks to water. Marketers from companies around the globe need to embrace new ideas for water to ensure their bottles are picked off the shelves.

Every researcher relishes in the job of assisting clients with ongoing, diverse needs for market data. Having a unique platform that provides value to users enhances the job even further. As a Global Account Manager specializing in delivering Enterprise Market Intelligence Platforms to the Financial Services industry, I have come to realize how advanced this industry is with regards to investing in the best tools to answer its diverse and constant pace of information requirements.

Looking ahead at the new year, the food and beverage industry is slated to experience both new and continued trends. While overall retail sales will continue to climb, some dynamic shifts will also occur. To find out some of the projected upcoming trends for 2014, we reviewed The Future of Food Retailing in the U.S.: Shopper Insights and Market Opportunities, 4th Edition, a report published by leading food and beverage industry experts Packaged Facts.

As we say goodbye to 2013 and ring in the new year, it's important to look ahead at what we can expect throughout 2014. Continuing on the ideas of the 2013 trends, the pet industry should experience slight, but steady, growth across the board in in the upcoming year, according to pet industry experts and MarketResearch.com publisher Packaged Facts. In Packaged Facts' report U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2013-2014, they project a wide variety of industry trends that will gain momentum next year.