After expected gaps, Gold Coast looks for ample supply in Santa Maria

There will be some harvest gaps for vegetable crops in the next few weeks but better supply is coming, says Crystal Chavez, marketing coordinator for Gold Coast Packing Inc., Santa Maria, Calif.

From the Santa Maria Valley, Gold Coast Packing grows conventional broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, cilantro and Brussels sprouts. Organic crops for Gold Coast include cauliflower and spinach, Chavez said.

Crop progress was a little behind a year ago, Chavez said.

“California experienced record amounts of rainfall in January, February and March,” she said. “As much as the rain was needed, the abundance of precipitation left our grounds saturated for periods at a time.”

That pushed back planting schedules and created delays.

“The crops most affected are broccoli and cauliflower, and we will see gaps over the next few weeks,” Chavez said. “A few acres in the Santa Maria Valley flooded, but Gold Coast acreage was spared. Once we get past these few weeks of uncertainty, our supply looks great. ”

Chavez said Gold Coast is in the process of developing and launching several new items that will be out later this spring and early summer. 

“We have also been busy making upgrades to our production facility Fresh Venture Foods,” Chavez said. “The updates will create efficiencies as well as help us expand our production capabilities, allowing us to offer more new innovative products.”

Chavez said the past four months have seen an increase in demand for foodservice items, especially on the school foodservice side.