Following Shuman Farms’ acquisition of Vidalia, Ga.-based Generation Farms, the company now has 2,800 acres of Vidalia onions in the ground and has solidified itself as one of the largest grower-shippers in the industry, says John Shuman, president and CEO of Reidsville, Ga.-based Shuman Farms.
“This expansion not only enhances our capacity but also underscores our commitment to meeting the rising demand for sweet onions,” Shuman said. “We are excited to share that Shuman Farms, in partnership with a leading investor in the agriculture sector, has successfully completed the acquisition of Generation Farms. This has allowed Shuman Farms to assume full operational control over Generation’s land and facilities. We are well positioned to deliver a high level of service to meet our customers’ needs.”
Shuman said the company has been able to take on this project — the largest to date for the organization — thanks to the success of Shuman Farms’ Vidalia and Peruvian sweet onion programs.
“The additional assets have allowed us to add 30% more acreage to our Vidalia onion program,” Shuman said. “With more packing capability in the new site, plus capital improvements to our existing facilities, we have increased our storage capacity by nearly 25%, allowing us to continue distributing Vidalia onions through Labor Day.”
Strong outlook
Shuman said ideal weather conditions have favored Vidalia onions this year and have ramped up anticipation of the 2024 crop.
With an official ship date of April 17, Shuman said the marketer will be offering retailers conventional and organic Vidalia onions in bulk and in various-sized bags.
On top of expanding its operations, Shuman Farms is focusing its efforts this season on the importance of “edutainment” — educating consumers and buyers about Vidalia onions with entertaining and engaging content, Shuman said.
“Based on our own research and industry trends, there is a lot of opportunity to educate the next generation of shoppers on fresh produce,” he said. “Reaching this age group is different than previous generations and edutainment is an important tactic to do so. Through our programs and content, we hope to educate consumers and help them succeed at their health and wellness goals. That means increasing their knowledge about sweet onions as a center of the plate item and educating them on culinary skills to empower cooking with fresh ingredients.”
Shuman said the marketer recommends that its retail partners maximize sales by merchandising Vidalia onions throughout the produce department with complementary items such as peppers, mushrooms, avocados, tomatoes and summer squash.
Shuman Farms offers full-color, high-graphic secondary display bins that can be easily placed not only in the produce department, but also in the meat department, offering customers an add-on item for what they are already putting in their basket, he said.
“To maximize sales opportunities and help consumers with their meal planning needs, retailers can use secondary display units and other promotional materials throughout the store to drive that incremental item in the basket,” he said.
