Latest News From Pomegranates

Made from pomegranate fruit rinds and used in beverages, plant-based foods and beauty products, POMxL has recently earned a third-party Upcycled Certified seal.

Just in time for Halloween, POM Wonderful has launched a nationwide campaign: “Real Life is Scary: Protect Yourself With POM.”

If the largely favorable 2023 growing season and recent sales figures are any indication, this should be another good year for the coral-red fruit with leathery skin and jewel-like arils.

California is expected have plenty of good-quality tree fruit, melons and other commodities this summer, though some items might get off to a later start than usual, and early volume on others may be off a bit.

The import division of Philadelphia-based specialty produce wholesaler John Vena Inc. says it expects consistent East Coast arrivals of Wonderful variety pomegranates for its longest-ever import season.

The Los Angeles-based company is marking 20 years in business, along with the start of California pomegranate season and National Pomegranate Month.

Reedley, Calif.-based DJ Forry Co. will have a good crop of pomegranates to offer this year, says Ray England, vice president of marketing.

A late bloom resulted in variable pomegranate yields in California’s central valley, says Brian Forrest, sales representative with Youngstown Grape Distributors Inc., Reedley, Calif.

If weather conditions continue stable, pomegranate growers in California’s Central Valley expect that the total volume of early varieties should easily pass last year’s total.

California pomegranates had a big fresh year in 2021, USDA statistics show.

For the upcoming fresh pomegranate season, POM Wonderful will continue to invest heavily in its health-focused marketing, reminding consumers that POM is The Antioxidant Superpower.

Despite drought challenges, growers in the Golden State predict high quality for grapes, pomegranates and citrus.

John Vena Inc., a specialty produce wholesaler based in Philadelphia, PA, has stepped up volumes of Israeli pomegranates through their import partnership with EDOM Fruits.

Los Angeles-based POM Wonderful is kicking off the 2021 California pomegranate season with its largest digital marketing campaign ever to raise brand awareness and continue to drive category growth. 

While several red-hued fruits are compared to rubies, the shiny arils within pomegranates are about the size of what a wealthy woman would wear on her finger. And these jewels are doing well.

California pomegranates are a true fall fruit, with nearly all shipments of whole fruit moved from September through December.

Berry marketer Sun Belle Inc. has launched its 2021 Pomegranate Arils program with Green Belle organic and Sun Belle conventional 4.4-ounce cups packed by Agricola Los Medanos S.A. in Ica, Peru. 

Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3.

Citrus surged in interest during the last few days of December, taking six of the top 20 spots.

As consumers continue to look for functional benefits in their food and beverage choices, POM Wonderful, the leader in fresh pomegranates, is seeing record demand during the 2020 California season. 

Avocados bounced from No. 7 the week of Nov. 30 to take the lead spot on PMG the week of Nov. 7.

Pom Wonderful, Los Angeles, is launching its largest digital campaign for pomegranates, pomegranate juice and arils.

The Wonderful Co., Los Angeles, is offering up to $1 million for a solution to the 50,000 tons of pomegranate husks generated each year for the production of Pom Wonderful juice.

During what seems to be shaping up as a downer of a year, there may be a bright spot in the upcoming California pomegranate season.

After two “fairly short” years, California’s pomegranate volume should be moving back to normal this season.

Shoppers earning $50,000 or more annually were more apt to buy pomegranates than those earning less, and those in the top income bracket were the most likely to buy the fruit overall.

StePac, Tefen, Israel, has new bin liners designed to extend the storage life of fresh pomegranates.

Though the holiday season is ramping up and autumnal favorites are still in the mix, searches on Produce Market Guide the week of Nov. 4 showed a marked interest in one of winter's domestic specialties: citrus.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Schiller Park, Ill.-based Sun Belle is promoting organic and biodynamic cranberries and blueberries this fall, along with a wide variety of other berry offerings.

Pumpkins maintained their six-week reign on Produce Market Guide last week and got even more love from the platform's users as pink pumpkins entered the top 20 at No. 12.

POM Wonderful is launching a new marketing campaign for its pomegranate juice, focusing on the health benefits of antioxidants.

As fall gets underway, pumpkins remain No. 1 on Produce Market Guide — no surprise there — while chili peppers regained the No. 2 spot the week of Sept. 23, and lettuce shot from No. 12 to No. 3.

Bulk bins of pomegranates have been a popular offering from Simonian Fruit Co., Fowler, Calif., for quite a while, said Jeff Simonian, sales manager. But this year the company is adding more options.

Flavor Tree Fruit Co. has changed out some equipment at its arils facility, increasing automation and making the process less dependent on manual labor.

Pomegranate volume is expected to be down, but this year Trinity Fruit Co. Inc. sales are expected to increase.

The Wonderful Co. LLC experienced its best year ever in 2018 with dollar sales up 6% versus the previous year, said Charlotte Mostaed, director of marketing.

Once again, pomegranate volume is expected to be down this season, but fruit quality should be good.

The Flavor Tree Fruit Company will have significant pomegranate volume this year, said Maurice Cameron, sales director of Hanford, Calif.-based company.

Pomegranates are finally here, and California shippers will be serving them up until the end of the year.

The POM Group of Mississauga Ontario has announced the release of a new line of fresh pomegranate arils, under the Royal brand.

The Wonderful Co., Los Angeles, is again spotlighting its products in New York’s Times Square, with digital billboards displaying ads for Wonderful products through October.

Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle and The Packer's copy editor and designer Amelia Freidline discuss pomegranates, from consumer likelihood of purchase to eating experiences to how to cut the fruit correctly.

Peruvian exporters can again ship pomegranate arils to the U.S.

At the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit, The Wonderful Co. will be celebrating an investment of more than $1 billion in the past decade to market pistachios, pomegranate juice and Halo-brand mandarins.

Catch up on suppliers and marketers of fresh pomegranates, pomegranate arils and juice with a few quick news updates.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has lifted its prohibition of imports of pomegranate arils from Peru.

Buttonwillow, Calif.-based SunnyGem LLC is ready to begin its first full season offering 4.4-ounce resealable plastic cups of pomegranate arils.

California’s pomegranate crop is expected to be down again this year, but growers say ample promotable volume should be available.

California’s pomegranate crop is expected to be down again this year, but growers say ample promotable volume should be available.

Two detections of Mediterranean fruit fly larvae in commercial shipments have caused the U.S. Department of Agriculture to shut down imports of Peruvian pomegranate arils.