It can be difficult to forecast with certainty what the Southern California strawberry crop will look like in winter, but as of early this year, grower-shippers were predicting ample supplies of good-quality berries.
Strawberries and Valentine’s Day go together, and Southern California strawberry grower-shippers say there should be plenty of the heart-shaped fruit on hand for the most romantic day of the year.
Picking for most growers in the Sunshine State got underway in early to mid-November, and supplies were slowly but surely picking up throughout December.
The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market opened in 2011 but traces its roots back to colonial times when some of its tenants got their start at the city’s Dock Street marketplace.
When John Gates started delivering fruits, vegetables and fresh-cut products with his brother Dave, he never dreamed the weekend venture would evolve into a major wholesale distributor and fresh-cut processing company.
Print, digital and retail promotions such as grocery cart ads, weekly circulars, social media campaigns, shoppable ads and more will be used to spread the word about the Sunshine State’s juicy red strawberries.
If you’re buying Florida strawberries, chances are they’re one of three varieties developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
Produce distributors on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market say they’re finishing 2023 with generally strong sales and are looking forward to another successful year ahead.
