G&R Farms optimistic about Peruvian onion crop

Representing a counter-season balance to the Vidalia onion deal, strong supplies of Peruvian onions are anticipated for G&R Farms, says Steven Shuman.

Shuman, general manager and vice president of sales for the Glennville, Ga.-based marketer, said the supply of its Peruvian onions is on the same favorable trajectory as last season.

“After performing several quality trials in the early harvest weeks, we are happy with the quality, but expect both quality and volume to pick up as we move deeper into the season since it has been a little bit of a slow start due to some weather events that have delayed the crop,” Shuman said. “We source from the Ica and Aeroquipa growing regions where the sandy soils and low humidity create the perfect conditions for a sweet and savory onion. The mild weather provides a solid foundation for the onions to develop, and once our harvest season commences, we are always met with a flavorful and nutritious crop.”

Shuman said G&R Farms expects to offer onions from Peru until late March to cover the start of the domestic season and “get as close to the to the Vidalia season as possible.”

“While the weather continued to test us, rest assured that despite being a week or two behind schedule all crops remain in good condition,” Shuman said. “Earlier in the month we had the opportunity to check out the fields in Peru and can attest these onions are great quality with a full manifest of sizes. We work tirelessly on our production planning to achieve a sweet and savory taste that is consistent in every onion.”

G&R Farms has been in the sweet onion business for more than 60 years and expanded into year-round sweet onions in 2009 when the firm began sourcing sweet onions from Peru, Shuman said.

“The growing demand and popularity of sweet onions made it clear that consumer interest was high and sweet onions were good for the category,” he said. “Expanding our efforts to Peru made sense as we noticed that it could fill the market gap, but also provide a similar quality onion to that of Vidalia’s that consumers know and love.

"We are proud to say that making this investment has contributed to increasing brand recognition and has sparked excitement from our customer base, while continuing to make sure consumers can get sweet onions year-round for every dish, making it a versatile solution for all their favorite dishes," he continued.

Related: Shuman Farms offering strong volume of Peruvian onions

G&R Farms grows onion varieties that thrive in the Peru climate and soils and achieve the same type of shape, size and flavor as that of a Vidalia onion, Shuman said. Those varieties include century, macon and campo lindo, he said.

“This is a constant process of seed trials, soil analysis and production tools to make sure we meet our high standards for quality,” Shuman said.

Apart from private-label offerings, all the marketer’s onions are in the G&R Farms brand. The brand highlights the marketer’s commitment to sustainability, family and community, Shuman said, adding that the brand also reminds consumers of the care and handling that goes into every onion that is hand-harvested.

All the marketer’s Peruvian onions arrive in the Port of Savannah, Ga., which Shuman said is the fourth-largest port in the U.S. The port provides an important access point for imports for the Southeast region, he said.

“The ease of access both for arrivals and quick turnarounds to our Georgia facility make for fresh product and faster deliveries to our customers,” he said.

Marketing focus

Consumers and retailers will see G&R Farms’ Seasons of Giving program back for its fourth year, Shuman said.  

“We work with a variety of retailers throughout the United States to customize programs that support their charitable giving programs at local food banks and other organizations of their choice,” Shuman said. “Our goal is to always support the communities and retailers where we do business because every customer is like family.”

G&R Farms is also part of the Rainforest Alliance Program in its Peruvian operations. The organization helps to ensure the health and well-being of farmworkers while protecting the environment, he said.

“This is an organization we pride ourselves on participating in as we recognize the importance of creating a healthy and safe environment for all,” he said.

With the help of the marketer’s in-house onion expert, R&D Manager Cliff Riner, Shuman said G&R Farms provides regular updates on social media and in its monthly crop update newsletter (called “Cliff Notes”) that highlight educational topics about onion production and quality.

Riner helped establish the Georgia Crop Quality Lab and was the coordinator of the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center prior to his role at G&R Farms, Shuman said.

“He has led the way in Vidalia onion trials and production and research and continues to bring innovation to the forefront at G&R Farms to elevate our quality,” he said.

In early summer, Shuman said the shipper completed the full installation of an updated packing line and shed upgrades that have improved packing speeds, pack-out quality and specialty order capabilities.