Fresh produce grower, marketer and distributor Oppy says it has launched its new Florida strawberry program with production underway and promotable volumes expected from late January through early February.
The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company says this is its inaugural offering under the Dole label since integrating with Dole Diversified North America in October.
Grown on more than 300 acres in the Florida communities of Frostproof, Zolfo Springs, Dover and Plant City, the program features a lineup of premium conventional varieties in 1-pound and 2-pound packs.
Favorable weather conditions to date have supported excellent fruit development and quality, the company says.
“This Florida production completes Oppy’s year-round supply of strawberries, which also includes central and Baja, Mexico, and production up and down the California coast,” says Tony Colonna, senior berry category manager for Oppy. “It allows us to diversify our supply with multiple regions simultaneously and keep customers’ shelves filled regardless of any weather interruptions in one of the major growing regions.”
With availability through March, Oppy says Florida strawberry production provides the company an important strategic advantage through winter, providing a reliable supply during a critical demand period and ensuring retailers can maintain strong category performance.
Oppy says its business development representatives have begun to set up ads and provide promotional tools to drive sales at retail.
“The new volume expands the strength of our year-round berry portfolio under the widely recognized Dole brand,” Colonna says, citing a recent Ipsos survey that revealed a 54% unaided recognition of the popular fresh fruit label. “It’s exciting to bring this first large-scale Dole-branded strawberry offering to the marketplace through Oppy.”
In addition to its strawberry program, Oppy says it offers depth and breadth across the entire berry category with year-round volumes of high-quality fruit in all key items.
