Sales of shelf-stable convenient breakfast items grew around 40 percent in the past year.

NEW YORK — Sales growth in US groceries is hovering around 40 percent this year for both shelf-stable convenient breakfasts and “other” fresh meat grinds from exotic meats, Nielsen reported Dec. 28.

In the grocery department, sales of shelf-stable convenient breakfasts grew 40.5 percent year to date through Nov. 21. In the fresh department, sales growth for “other” fresh meat grinds was 37.6 percent year to date through Oct. 31. “Other” meat grinds consist of ground exotic meats such as boar, bison and venison, according to Nielsen.

Consumption trends have shifted within the US grocery landscape in 2015, according to Nielsen.

“It (2015) ushered in changing meal time occasions, welcomed on-the-go consumption and rolled out the red carpet for the all-day breakfast movement,” Nielsen said. “Health and wellness was top of mind for consumers, which evoked a new thirst for teas and juicing, along with a hunger for avant-garde offerings like avocado toast, ancient grains, traditional protein and protein alternatives.”

Nielsen added 2015 saw Americans spending more on eating out than on groceries.

In the fresh department, sales growth for “other” fresh meat grinds, like venison, was 37.6 percent year to date through Oct. 31.

“With this notion came the rise of the ‘grocerant’ and new opportunities within the fresh prepared section, offering ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat offerings,” Nielsen said. “2015 even saw movement in the center store, where notable categories like salty snacks, new age beverages and candy all posted significant sales gains.”

Nielsen listed the top 10 categories in sales growth by percentage for both the grocery department and the fresh department.

An avian influenza outbreak among chickens and turkeys led to higher egg prices in 2015. Within the grocery department, both frozen egg substitutes (up 25 percent) and eggs (up 22.4 percent) trailed only shelf-stable convenient breakfast in sales growth. Rounding out the top 10 were liquid tea (17.3 percent), liquid coffee (16.6 percent), meat glaze (16.4 percent), frozen dip (13.8percent), refrigerated liquid tea (13.5 percent), specialty grains (12.1 percent) and honey (9.7 percent).