Honolulu leads the nation when it comes to consumption of fresh produce, according to a ranking by a business intelligence company that helps retailers with identifying market opportunities.

ASTEROP Inc. said there are a number of metropolitan areas where consumers are running contrary to the trend of buying lower-priced canned items during challenging economic times. Instead of forgoing fruits and vegetables, there are markets where shoppers are still buying lots of fruits and vegetables.

"The increased interest in healthy eating and natural products has led to an opportunity," said ATEROP, which collects data on consumers and analyzes it to determine marketing opportunities.

It identified Honolulu as the top market for fresh produce, followed by the four California areas around the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles.