This month, we compiled data from the January to March What’s Selling column to see some of the hottest items this quarter.

For Supplements, curcumin was a strong frontrunner. In 2014, we saw fish oils rise above other sources of omega-3s, and now all omega-3 sources are appearing as best sellers. No surprise: multivitamins are also very popular. In Food, gluten-free baked goods are hot as always, but some newcomers are also making appearances: portable snacks/meals and farm fresh eggs. Organic oats are also proving to be very popular.

In HABA, essential oils still reign supreme. Lavender is the most popular from our column. Natural soaps, which normally have a modest but consistent presence in our data, have been popular this quarter. The landscape in Beverages hasn’t changed too much, with kombucha and coconut beverages dominant, but healthy sodas are beginning to bubble up with more shoppers than ever. The trend of portability extends to the Up and Coming category, with nutrition bars making a strong appearance. Supplement offerings take up the largest share of this category, though, primarily immune support, multivitamins and energy boosters.

For regional trends, omega-3s are making sales in the Northeast, as well as a variety of natural chip snacks. Gluten-free foods and ancient grains are popular in the Northwest, and while kombucha is popular in general, sales are particularly strong in the Southwest. Another interesting development in the Southwest is baked goods appearing both in the Food and Up and Coming categories. While sales are already strong, there may be even more interest in the future. In the Midwest, the vitamin D supplement trend from last quarter is still going strong, along with natural soaps. Multivitamins and snacks are two of the strongest sellers in the Southeast, while the West is buying up hair care products and natural soft drinks.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, March 2015