Spotlight on Herbs and Botanicals and Trends to Watch on Amazon

The herbs and botanicals category is one of the cornerstones of the natural products industry, but it’s far from old news. According to New Hope Network’s Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ), growth in this market has been outpacing the rest of the industry since 2013 and reached record-breaking heights in 2020 with a 17.3% growth rate bringing in over $11.2 billion dollars.

Want to learn how the herbs and botanicals category is performing online and how the pandemic-driven rush to eCommerce will play out? Read on to find some answers.

Notable Herbs and Botanicals Subcategories

Below are some notable herbs and botanicals subcategories on Amazon, their sales rank, and year-over-year (YoY) growth rates, as of June 2021. Those with the fastest growth rates include Saw Palmetto, Ashwagandha, Black Seed Oil, and Black Currant.

Black Currant Analysis

Though a smaller subcategory, Black Currant’s growth is steady and significant. At 91% growth YoY, the subcategory does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. In November 2020, the herb reached a “peak,” but is currently growing at a steady pace.

There are also some key attributes driving Black Currant’s sales growth. In terms of delivery form, liquid holds the lion’s share of the market at 35% and grew by a remarkable 126% YoY. On the other hand, it’s important to observe that the form with the smallest market share (dried berries at 5%), is experiencing the highest YoY growth at 297%. Additionally, consumers are becoming increasingly more interested in organic products in this subcategory; while they make up ~10% of the subcategory’s market share, these products grew by 199% YoY.

Ashwagandha Analysis

Another herb to watch on Amazon is Ashwagandha. As of June 2021, the subcategory grew 73% YoY on Amazon and sales continue to climb. It’s further worth noting that 97% of Ashwagandha supplements sold on Amazon are made only from the root.

When looking at delivery forms for Ashwagandha, there are 5 options offered on Amazon. Capsules hold a substantial piece of the market share at 70%, and growing at 70% YoY. Interestingly, while gummies were introduced as a delivery form option for Ashwagandha only ~6 months ago, they already hold the second highest market share at 14%!

Tune in for a virtual event on September 2, 2021, to get an update on Ashwagandha growth on Amazon.

Want to speak with ClearCut more about the future of herbs and botanicals or take a deep dive into another category of interest? Contact us here.