
As consumer preferences evolve and market dynamics shift, the horticulture industry is turning to smarter tools to stay ahead. Hort IQ, Hort Innovation’s dedicated consumer insights platform, offers a powerful lens into how Australians buy and consume fresh produce. Designed for growers, marketers, and wholesalers alike, Hort IQ delivers real-time data on category performance, purchasing behaviours, and emerging trends, making it easier than ever to respond to demand and uncover growth opportunities.
With Harvest to Home now integrated into Hort IQ, growers can easily explore category performance and consumer trends in one streamlined platform. For example, a grower can track which products are gaining momentum during specific time periods - like cucumbers or capsicums - and use that data to adjust planting schedules, plan promotions, or refine supply strategies to meet demand more effectively.
This change marks a new chapter in how the horticulture supply chain accesses and applies intelligence to drive growth, engagement, and informed decision-making. For instance, recent data from the latest available retail and purchasing dashboard has revealed that:
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Apple dollar sales increased by 5.5% nationally over the past 52 weeks ending 13 July 2025, with a 1.0% rise in retail volumes. With 84.5% of households buying Apples over the year, they are one of our most popular Fruits making up 16.3% of retail fruit volume.
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In fresh vegetables, volumes continued to be marginally softer than the prior year down 0.3%. Leafy Asian vegetables saw the strongest vegetable retail volume growth up 11.2%, highlighting strong consumer demand.
By bringing all consumer and retail data into one unified platform, Hort Innovation’s Chief Executive Officer Brett Fifield says he’s hoping to make it easier for users to get access to the insights they need to make smarter and more informed decisions to continue driving growth for their business.
“The transition from the old Harvest to Home into our revamped retail and purchasing dashboard on Hort IQ is more than a platform upgrade, it’s a leap forward in how we deliver value to the industry,” Mr Fifield said.
“We’ve created a space where data becomes actionable, helping stakeholders uncover opportunities, respond to market shifts, and connect more meaningfully with consumers.”
Backed by Hort Innovation’s long-standing data partnership with NIQ, Hort IQ draws on robust, nationally representative datasets to deliver timely and actionable insights. The integration brings together the best of both platforms, offering users a streamlined experience and deeper access to insights that matter. From identifying emerging trends, such as the rise in cucumber and capsicum consumption, to understanding the drivers behind declining categories like fresh beans, Hort IQ provides the intelligence needed to adapt and thrive.
Hort IQ is more than a dashboard, it’s a strategic tool designed to elevate decision-making across the horticultural supply chain. Whether you're a grower seeking to understand consumer preferences or a marketer looking to refine category strategy, Hort IQ delivers the insights that matter.
To learn more about Hort IQ’s latest features, register for the latest Hort IQ webinar here.
Visit Hort IQ today at: https://www.Hort IQ.com.au/
Calculation based in part on data reported by NIQ through its Homescan Service for total apples, total fresh vegetables, leafy Asian vegetables, cucumber and capsicum products to 13 July 2025, for the Total Australia market, according to the NIQ standard product hierarchy. Copyright © 2025, Nielsen Consumer LLC.