New Research and Marketing Guide Identifies Opportunities Across Retail Channels and Shopper Segments


WINTER SPRINGS, FL, November 12, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) has released its latest research, Omnichannel Strategies for Watermelon Category Growth, revealing that the category has added 7 million new purchasing households since 2021, with watermelon now in 75% of all U.S. households. These new buyers helped generate $782 million in incremental purchases, pushing total category purchases to $3.2 billion — a 33% increase over the period. The research findings provide marketers with actionable insights into these watermelon trends, highlighting how channel dynamics, purchase behaviors, and evolving shopper demographics are reshaping the category.

"Industry partners now have a clear roadmap for growing watermelon sales across retail channels," said Mark Arney, Executive Director for the NWPB. "By tailoring strategies to the unique opportunities present in each channel and among evolving shopper demographics, retailers can strengthen loyalty, broaden penetration, and drive incremental trips and dollars."

Key Findings and Opportunities

• Refine Channel Strategies: Grocery remains the leading retail channel for watermelon, but Mass, Club, and Online channels are seeing new shoppers and are growing at faster rates. The industry can strengthen omni-channel engagement by adapting marketing and merchandising strategies across these formats.

• Leverage Club Channel Momentum: Club has become an increasingly important outlet for the watermelon category. Merchandising tactics that boost volume per trip represent a key opportunity for the channel.

• Engage Evolving Household Demographics: Watermelon growth is strong among smaller, higher-income, younger and more diverse households, while engagement among older households is also rising. Marketers and retailers can balance efforts between loyal Heavy shoppers and these emerging segments.

To help industry stakeholders capitalize on these opportunities, the NWPB has released a companion Marketing Guide designed to help translate channel and demographic trends into actionable steps that support category growth.

"As shopper habits continue to evolve across retail formats, understanding where and how consumers buy watermelon helps the industry make smarter decisions about marketing, merchandising, and promotions," added Arney.

This study builds on NWPB's initiative to invest in research that helps the industry grow the watermelon category, including the Watermelon Attitudes and Usage and Watermelon Shopper Segmentation studies, providing a comprehensive understanding of the evolving watermelon shopper landscape.

Access the complete research study and companion Marketing Guide at https://www.watermelon.org/audiences/industry/research/retail-research/.

About the National Watermelon Promotion Board

The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), based in Winter Springs, Florida, was established in 1989 as an agricultural promotion group to promote watermelon in the United States and in various markets abroad. Funded through a self-mandated industry assessment paid by more than 700 watermelon producers, handlers and importers, NWPB mission is to increase consumer demand for watermelon through promotion, research and education programs.

A serving of nutrient-dense watermelon provides an excellent source of Vitamin C (25% DV), a source of Vitamin B6 (8% DV), and a delicious way to stay hydrated (92% water), with only 80 calories per 2-cup serving. Watermelon consumption per capita in the United States was roughly 15.6 pounds in 2024. Watermelon consumption in the United States was nearly 5.3 billion pounds in 2024. Additionally, the United States exported 400 million pounds of watermelon. For additional information, visit www.watermelon.org.

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