California winter vegetable business updates
Good growing conditions at Baloian
A mild fall has led to some ideal growing conditions as Fresno, Calif.-based Baloian Farms prepares to launch its winter vegetables program, said salesman Jay Angulo.
“We expect to see excellent quality for all winter vegetables,” he said.
The program kicked off in Fresno with some “really nice” leaf, romaine, cauliflower, napa and bok choy, Angulo said.
Premium quality romaine hearts should follow.
The company will transition to California’s Coachella Valley in late November and continue there until April.
The winter program also will include red leaf, green leaf, butter lettuce, spinach, celery, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, napa and daikon.
“We have designed our wet veg program to be harvesting with good supplies of product through the holiday season,” Angulo said.
New Coastline brand well received
Salinas, Calif.-based Coastline Family Farms is receiving good response to the mini-romaine selection the company introduced last spring under the sub-brand of Culinary Bouquet, said salesman Mark McBride.
Eventually, the Culinary Bouquet brand will include other new products that have not been branded in the past.
The line initially consists of a consumer single-sleeve pack and a two-count bag of crunchy and sweet mini-romaine lettuce -- a blend of romaine and butter lettuce.
The new item has been performing well, McBride said.
“It has been a success, and we look forward to increasing production to keep up with demand.”
Coastline expected to start its fall lettuce harvest in Yuma, Ariz., on Nov. 8, a few days later than usual, where it will continue for three to four weeks before transitioning to Brawley, Calif., McBride said.
“We expect the quality to be good, but the first field looks like it’s going to be quite a bit smaller than normal,” he said.
The harvest will get underway in the Imperial Valley in early December and continue through mid-April.
Broccoli, cauliflower and other items will begin in Brawley Thanksgiving week.
Coastline’s fall/winter Imperial Valley program should be fully up and running by Dec. 7, he said.
Packaging on rise at Ocean Mist
Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms spotted one significant trend during the COVID-19 pandemic – packaged product.
“Prior to the pandemic, there was push to minimize (or) get away from packaging,” said Joseph Angelo, director of sales.
“However, since the pandemic, there is a strong demand for packaged items, and that demand is maintaining thus far.”
The company offers a wide selection of fall/winter vegetables from Huron, Oxnard, and Coachella, Calif.; Yuma, Ariz., and Baja California and the Mexicali Valley in Mexico.
“All of our growing regions are strategically located in areas of the country with prime soil and microclimates to enable us to farm a full line of premium artichokes and fresh vegetables year-round,” the company says.
Products include artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, green onions, iceberg lettuce, radishes, romaine and romaine hearts, red and green leaf lettuce, spinach and others.
Peter Rabbit has new lettuce format
Peter Rabbit Farms, Coachella, Calif., has reinvigorated its butter lettuce category by offering a new, larger variety packed in a large, spinach-style box, said salesman Ed Lopez.
The company’s butter lettuce had been losing shelf space and distribution before the new product was introduced, he said.
The idea came from a field man who suggested that the company wrap its butter lettuce as it wraps its iceberg variety.
“We did some last year, and it lasted, and it came out tasting great,” Lopez said.
“It started having a great response from the receivers.”
The product has the added convenience of a Universal Product Code, it’s a great value for retailers and has less of a carbon footprint, he said.
