Retailers can offer a variety of garlic products, including fresh garlic, elephant garlic, purple garlic, as well as peeled garlic, chopped garlic, roasted garlic, minced garlic, squeezable garlic, and garlic in olive oil. Chopped and pre-packaged garlic is gaining increasing popularity due to its convenience.
The popularity of international and ethnic cuisines has boosted the demand for garlic.
With its complex flavor and easy availability, garlic continues to play a major role as a fundamental ingredient.
Ken Christopher, executive vice president of Christopher Ranch in Gilroy, California, reported, "Year after year, our sales grow at a natural rate of 3% to 5%, and we expect this trend to continue between 2025 and 2026." The ranch supplies U.S.-grown garlic across the country.
Market Drivers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the demand in the garlic market is driven by culinary trends, health considerations, and convenience products.
Due to the growing awareness of international and ethnic cuisines, the popularity of various meal preparations continues to drive the demand for garlic seasonings.
Mike Smith, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Spice World in Orlando, Florida, explained, "As home chefs continue to experiment with different cuisines and regional flavors, garlic consumption keeps growing. Consumers love garlic not only for its taste and versatility but also for its affordability and health benefits."
Consumers are using garlic for its flavor and health benefits, and there is no sign of slowing down in demand. Jim Provost, co-owner of I Love Produce LLC in Seagrove, Pennsylvania, said, "By 2025, I will have been working in the garlic industry for 34 years, and I continue to see a growing demand for garlic. But perhaps not at the double-digit growth rate of the 1990s."
Culturally, he considers garlic to be "a trendy food among Gen Z and millennials."
Various Factors Stimulating Demand
Seventy years ago, while overseas, the founder of Spice World experienced the flavor of garlic and began to share it. Today, Spice World offers fresh garlic, elephant garlic, and purple garlic, as well as traditional and organic varieties such as peeled, chopped, roasted, minced, squeezable, and garlic in olive oil.
Production and Import
California accounts for most of the garlic production in the United States. On April 15, 2025, the USDA Economic Research Service's Vegetables and Pulses Yearbook reported that garlic production in 2023 was 402 million pounds, with imports reaching 357 million pounds. Trade flows may be affected by factors such as tariff adjustments, cold chain development, and the growth of private-label brands.
Christopher said, "Although controversial, it is important to note that tariffs on foreign products like garlic have had a significant impact on the domestic garlic industry. As tariffs on foreign goods increase, we have seen a corresponding rise in demand for our U.S.-grown garlic from both retailers and restaurants."
Christopher Ranch's California heirloom garlic is grown within a 100-mile radius of Gilroy, California, the "Garlic Capital of the World." Christopher said they ship heirloom garlic to all 50 states, as well as to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico.
Retailers' Sales Tips
William Reinoso, produce manager at the Market Basket store in Somerville, Massachusetts, said the store sells a lot of garlic. "The biggest seller is the whole cloves in the produce section."
Peeled garlic is in the refrigerated aisle. He said Cinco de Mayo is the busiest holiday, adding, "Our customers know how to use garlic in multiple ways. During that time, we display garlic with avocados, onions, jalapeños, and plump tomatoes."
The Market Basket in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, has 95 stores in New England.
Although the Food City store in Radford, Virginia, near Roanoke, likes the company's Gourmet Club chopped and minced garlic, assistant store manager Marcus Goins reported that bulk whole cloves are the most popular.