2026년 2월 23일 · Unknown · financial · 출처 Yahoo Finance
An updated edition of the Dec. 31, 2025 article.
Natural foods have moved well beyond the shelves of specialty stores and into the daily lives of consumers. What’s behind this shift? A growing awareness of health, wellness and environmental responsibility. Shoppers today, across all age groups, are seeking options that are not just nutritious but produced with care for people and the planet. As a result, the natural foods industry is experiencing rapid growth. Clean ingredients, sustainable agriculture and ethical sourcing have become essential features of the modern food landscape.
More consumers are reaching for products that are transparent about their ingredients and made with minimal processing. Labels that read organic, non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) and preservative-free are gaining attention, and clean eating is no longer just a trend — it’s becoming the norm. Governments are also stepping in, tightening food labeling rules and promoting healthier eating habits. In turn, natural food brands are not only building stronger customer loyalty but are also successfully charging premium prices for products that deliver both trust and quality.
Companies like Vital Farms, Inc. VITL and Conagra Brands, Inc. CAG are responding to rising demand for organic, clean-label and ethically sourced foods. With consumers prioritizing transparency, sustainability and minimal processing, the market for natural foods continues to grow. Expanding farm networks, plant-based innovations, and a focus on humane and eco-friendly production are shaping the industry's future.
The natural foods industry is poised for continued evolution through innovation and the expansion of product categories. Companies are investing in plant-based alternatives, functional foods enriched with vitamins and probiotics and sustainable farming technologies. E-commerce is also playing a crucial role in making natural foods more accessible, allowing consumers to shop for organic and gluten-free products with ease. The global healthy foods market is expected to reach 2,101.9 billion by 2035.
If you're looking to capitalize on this trend, our Natural Foods Screen makes it easy to identify high-potential stocks such as The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. HAIN, United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI and Beyond Meat, Inc. BYND.
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3 Natural Food Stocks to Watch
Hain Celestial is repositioning as a higher-margin natural and organic food company by simplifying its portfolio to concentrate on categories best aligned with “better-for-you” consumer trends. As part of a comprehensive strategic review, the company agreed to divest its North American snacks business for $115 million in cash, which includes legacy Garden Veggie Snacks, Terra chips and Garden of Eatin' snacks. The move is designed to simplify operations, reduce leverage and focus on markets with stronger margins. This strategic exit from the impulse-driven snack category allows the company to reallocate resources toward demand-fulfillment segments that better leverage its organizational strengths. Following this shift, the remaining North American portfolio is projected to be financially healthier, targeting a gross margin profile above 30% and low-double-digit EBITDA margins.
The company’s growth efforts are now concentrated on three flagship categories: tea, yogurt, and baby and kids, which remain resilient against evolving market pressures like GLP-1 medications. Concrete brand initiatives include Celestial Seasonings’ expansion into wellness-focused bagged tea and The Greek Gods’ successful foray into single-serve yogurt formats. In the Baby & Kids segment, Earth’s Best is driving double-digit growth in finger foods and cereal while launching new "big kid" snacks like protein-enriched bites and wafers. Ella’s Kitchen is strengthening its position in the U.K. through innovations such as "nutty blends" and a significant increase in snack SKUs to drive category incrementality.
Supporting these brand efforts is a comprehensive strategic framework known as the "5 actions to win," which prioritizes portfolio streamlining, brand renovation, revenue growth management and pricing, productivity and working capital efficiency, and digital enhancement. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company is already seeing measurable results from these initiatives, such as a 13% year-over-year improvement in SG&A during the second quarter of fiscal 2026. By combining these efficiency gains with targeted innovation and rigorous pricing discipline, the company aims to establish a solid foundation for long-term, profitable growth. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
United Natural Foods serves as a cornerstone in the North American food distribution landscape, positioning itself as a primary architect for the growth of the natural and organic categories. UNFI has leveraged its extensive network to bridge the gap between emerging health-focused brands and a diversified base of more than 30,000 retail locations. By prioritizing higher margin natural and organic foods, UNFI is not merely acting as a logistics provider but is strategically pivoting its business model to capitalize on the sustained consumer demand for wellness-oriented products. This leadership is evidenced by the company's first-quarter fiscal 2026 performance, where the Natural segment saw robust 10.5% growth.
The company’s strategic initiatives are heavily focused on enhancing "speed-to-shelf" for innovative natural brands, ensuring that independent retailers can compete with larger chains through differentiated assortments. A primary example of this effort is the implementation of lean Kaizen workshops, which successfully reduced new item setup times at the Chesterfield, NH, distribution center. This operational efficiency directly supports emerging suppl…