For the first time , Oxnard, Calif.-based Bobalu Berries will ship fresh strawberries from California for the entire year, said Cindy Jewell, marketing representative.
Bobalu LLC is a fully integrated grower, packer, shipper and processor of fresh strawberries.
Bobalu is a third-generation family farming operation that is a year-round producer of fresh strawberries from regions within California, along with grower partnerships in Mexico, Jewell said.
“In years past, we have relied solely on production from Mexico during those critical shoulders of the season in the winter,” Jewell said. “However, this year, we are adding a fall crop in Oxnard for the first time so we will be able to ship fruit from California throughout the year.”
Bobalu Berries will still use fruit from Mexico to supplement winter production, Jewell said, so the company will have ample supplies for retail promotions during the winter.
“We are also utilizing both short-day varieties and day neutral varieties in Santa Maria this year to allow us to use this region as both a southern and a northern district,” she said. “We will begin harvesting in Santa Maria in February and continue to harvest here until November.”
The plants got a good chill in the nurseries before planting, Jewell said, and that is translating into very healthy plants with excellent fruit coming off for the new season in Oxnard.
“We anticipate our Oxnard peak will be leading into Easter and stretching into the Mother’s Day pull,” she said.
Milestones
Jewell said Bobalu Berries is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year by launching an annual scholarship program.
“We are currently communicating with several high schools in Ventura County that are helping potential recipients with applications as they consider college in the fall after graduation,” she said.
In addition, Jewell said the company just relaunched its website this month by expanding its resources to consumer followers, providing more recipes and making the company’s exclusive recipe collection sharable and “pin” friendly on Pinterest.
“We spent 2021 building our library of new recipes with an emphasis on easy and affordable,” Jewell said. “We are seeing trends that consumers are tired of being in the kitchen after the last couple of years at home but still want a healthy home-cooked option for the family. Our influencer partner has really helped build our library of easy, family friendly recipes and some fun and delicious hacks.”
Jewell said the relaunch also includes a new blog format for trading partners that receive the company’s “10 o’clock walk” electronic newsletter with current crop information, forecasts and photos from the field.
Bobalu Berries also will share information soon about a comprehensive sustainability program developed by the company’s food safety director.
“The materials we are finalizing include how we are implementing new digital tools for our farming operations, efficiencies we are gaining in the field, waste reduction and paperless initiatives,” Jewell said, indicating more information about the plan will be shared in March.
On the packaging front, Jewell said one of the company’s initiatives to be more sustainable and reduce waste is to eliminate the need for more packaging options.
“We have cut down on our stock-keeping units to help reduce inventory and the waste created when packaging options become obsolete,” she said. One possible shift the firm is considering in 2022 is utilizing the Readycycle clamshell for some of the marketer’s foodservice business.
Jewell said Bobalu Berries is excited to be opening a sales office in Monterey County.
“Like many, our team has been working remotely for over a year, so we are looking forward to having our sales team in an office together and providing much-needed additional collaborative space for sales, marketing, food safety and management beyond our Oxnard and Santa Maria locations,” she said.
