Florida strawberry production for Gem Pack Berries will continue strong into spring, said Michelle Deleissegues, director of marketing for the Irvine, Calif.-based company.
“We will be watching the weather but intend to be at half-production by early April,” she said. “Southeast berries are a great opportunity for the Eastern corridor to get fresher berries, with timely deliveries in the winter months. It’s a program that’s great for retailers and great for consumers.”
The weather started off warmer than normal for Florida strawberries this season, said Gem Pack Florida grower Matt Parke. Early volume was good but there have been later winter freezes that have caused mild damage, he said.
“Late winter, early spring volume looks lighter than the past seasons due to the warmer start to this season. With that said, prices have been great so far, with excellent fruit quality at harvest,” Parke said, noting that higher prices will help offset slightly lower yields.
Gem Pack is also excited to be packing the “white,” flavorful Winterfrost pineberry, Deleissegues said.
Gem Pack merged with Red Blossom Sales last year. Deleissegues said the merger is creating volume, quality and customer service synergies that reap results for buyers, as well as Gem-Pack.
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