Melon 1 says it has officially launched its 2026 domestic watermelon season, with strong early harvests underway in Florida. This season also brings an expanded growing program that will continue moving up the East Coast and into key Midwest regions throughout the summer.
This season, Melon 1 is growing a diverse mix of watermelon varieties, including seedless, seeded, yellow watermelons and specialty Black Jacks. Harvesting began in Florida this month and will continue through June, with Georgia harvests expected to begin in early June and run through the end of July.
Additional regional production will then follow along the East Coast throughout the summer season across South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Indiana, supporting a consistent summer supply and ongoing distribution.
The company reports strong early yields and high-quality fruit coming out of the fields as retailers prepare for peak summer watermelon demand heading into Memorial Day and the broader summer selling season. Florida-grown watermelons are already arriving at retail locations across the East Coast, Midwest and Canada.
“The crop looks excellent, and we’re seeing strong yields coming out of the fields,” says Trey Miller, chief operating officer at Melon 1. “The retailers seeing the strongest start to the domestic watermelon season will be the ones creating multiple touch points for shoppers throughout the store. Watermelons are consistently one of the most affordable fruits in the produce department when you consider how many servings consumers get from a single piece of fruit.”
The company says it has also launched its second consecutive year of artificial intelligence-supported consumer marketing campaigns designed to strengthen retailer support, increase shopper engagement and drive seasonal watermelon sales. This marketing strategy is in partnership with Blackmon Media Group.
This strategy strengthens consumer awareness of the Melon 1 brand and supports retail partners by reaching highly relevant shoppers who have shown interest in watermelon and related produce through advanced digital targeting and consumer engagement campaigns, according to the company.
“The level of data and insight we’ve gathered from our marketing campaigns is helping us better understand today’s consumer and how they shop,” says Rachel Syngo, chief marketing officer of Melon 1. “We’re applying those learnings through AI-supported consumer outreach initiatives designed to strengthen Melon 1 brand awareness while also helping support sales growth for our retail partners.”
