CA Giant expects good volume for May strawberry demand
May is National Strawberry Month, and Watsonville, Calif.-based California Giant Berry Farms is ready.
The company is forecasting large volumes of organic and conventionally grown strawberries this month. And officials say Giant Berry Farms' grower partners are on track to deliver peak promotable volumes of strawberries led by the company's Santa Maria, Watsonville and Salinas, Calif. growing regions.
“Our season started off strong, with healthy plants from the get-go,” J.T. Tipton, district manager at California Giant, said in a news release. “Despite not receiving as much rain as typically desired in the winter, our plants have otherwise seen optimal growing conditions.”
Strawberry production is currently in the Santa Maria, Watsonville and Salinas, Calif., growing regions, with the company’s Oxnard program adding supplemental volume through mid-May.
Peak volumes of conventional and organic strawberries from Santa Maria — pending any unforeseen, extreme weather events — are slated to arrive in time for Mother’s Day, May 8, with the Watsonville and Salinas growing increasing to deliver peak volumes in late-May.
“We’ve seen strong demand across the board,” Nick Chappell, director of sales at California Giant, said in the release. “We are on the cusp of delivering a significant supply during a time of increased retail demand. The fruit that will be arriving for National Strawberry Month, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day has outstanding quality.”
Demand for strawberries has been surging, according to data from IRI/Freshlook, with retail dollar sales of strawberries up 14.9% from one year ago.
“We see this increase in part due to consumers seeking to make health-conscious choices, and the health benefits of strawberries, especially their high vitamin C content, act as a major draw,” Chappell said in the release.
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