Survey: Consumers expect more from natural products brandsSurvey: Consumers expect more from natural products brands

Companies in the natural products industry have long understood the importance of sharing their mission and story with consumers.

Now, a survey of 1,000 consumers, commissioned by Gerber Finance, shows 61% of consumers hold natural products companies to higher standards than conventional standards regarding quality, company mission and sustainability:

"The natural products industry has its own unique needs and obstacles, like product seasonality, big POs to fulfill, and—as the results of this survey revealed—big expectations to live up to," said Jennifer Palmer, CEO of Gerber Finance. "The natural products companies we work with are living up to these expectations and then some, while making a positive impact on people and the planet."

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Nearly 50% of respondents are more likely to buy a natural brand if it was founded by entrepreneurs, while 48% are more likely to purchase a brand from a woman-owned or -led company, according to the survey, which was conducted by Momentive.

Additionally, the survey found that consumers' expectations of a natural products company rise even more if the company is owned or led by a woman:

However, if a woman-owned or -led company sells to a conglomerate, 25% of respondents said they were less likely to purchase the brand's products.

According to the survey, consumers have very different perceptions of natural and conventional brands:

The survey supports other findings that consumers have positive associations with natural products, as noted in the study, What drives brand love for natural products?, published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services in January. 

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Consumers' high expectations apply to natural products companies as well as the foods and products they manufacture, Kahtryn Peters, executive vice president of SPINS, said in June during Natural Products Expo Virtual Week's keynote address. She noted that consumers look to natural products companies for leadership in the areas of diversity, inclusion, sustainability and climate change mitigation.