How do you like your plums? Firm or soft? And which are ripe?
Not many consumers actually know how to spot a ripe plum, but because plums are ripe before going out at the grocery store, it comes down to what’s right according to the consumer.
Every year, The Packer conducts its Fresh Trends survey of American consumers on their fresh produce purchase behavior. The Fresh Trends 2025 Report asked consumers two questions about picking ripe fruit:
- Do you feel comfortable selecting a ripe [fruit] for immediate consumption?
- Do you know how to ripen [fruit] once you get them home?
For plums, just under a quarter (24%) of respondents reported feeling comfortable picking a ripe, ready-to-eat plum. There were some key differences across respondent age groups, however.
Respondents under the age of 50 years had relatively low rates of reporting comfort with plum ripeness at 12% of respondents 18 to 29 years old, 17% 30 to 39 years old and 19% of 40 to 49 years old. For the two oldest age groups of 50 to 59 years and 60 years and older, the response rates were considerably higher at 34% and 36% respectively.
Functionally all of the domestic production of plums happens in California. For Courtney Razor, director of member services and communications for the California Fresh Fruit Association, the age differences in respondents’ reported ripeness comfort were not surprising.
“Customers who buy fresh stone fruit regularly when it is in season have the experience of assessing what their preferences are versus customers who maybe only buy a plum once a season.”
She additionally encouraged consumers to purchase stone fruit such as plums and nectarines throughout the April through October season to build up their experience with what each of the different varieties offer.
Rightness versus ripeness
Consumer experience is key when it comes to picking stone fruit like plums because stone fruit available at a grocery store is technically ripe.
Like nectarines, some plum varieties are harvested when they are “firm ripe,” while others are harvested once they start softening, according to the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources system.
“When buying fresh plums at the store, consumers should have the confidence they are purchasing a ripe, ready-to-eat piece of fruit,” Razor said.
With plums being ripe by the time they reach the consumer, it leaves the decision on rightness — rather than ripeness — up to consumer preference.
“For example, I enjoy my plums a bit more tart and hard whereas someone else may enjoy them soft and juicy,” Razor explained. “Plums are unique because there are several varieties as well as hybrids, such as the pluot (a cross between a plum and an apricot).”
When asked if they knew how to ripen a plum at home, only 16% of Fresh Trends 2025 respondents said yes. Respondents could be forgiven for not knowing because the fruit they get at the store is technically ripe.
If a consumer selects a plum that is firmer than they prefer, it can continue to be ripened on the counter at room temperature or in a brown paper bag. Once it has reached the desired softness, plums can be stored in the refrigerator.
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