Oppy readies for pole-grown tomato season

The company said it expects to have a good supply of Oceanside Pole tomatoes starting at the end of June, with peak availability from August through October.

Oppy pole-grown tomatoes
Oppy pole-grown tomatoes
(Photo courtesy of Oppy)

Oppy says favorable weather will make for an excellent start to its Oceanside Pole tomatoes, which are the pole-grown tomatoes grown west of the Mississippi.

The company expects its season to start the week of June 24, with peak Oceanside Pole tomato season to run from August through October, according to a news release.

Oppy said it produces its vine-ripened tomatoes on 700 acres in California and 160 acres in Mexico. Oppy said it looks to produce around 2.1 million cases of Oceanside Pole rounds and about 1.2 million roma tomatoes.

The company said the growing method raises the tomatoes off the ground to improve airflow. Oppy harvests each plant around 22 to 24 times and selects each tomato for optimal ripeness.

“Our method ensures that we only deliver fruit with unmatched brix levels, robust flavor, extended shelf life and a clean-slicing texture,” Mark Smith, sales executive and director of sales and strategy, said in the release. “Picking, packing, shipping and delivering to retailers within 24 hours, Oceanside Pole tomatoes are truly one-of-a-kind.”

The company said it will pack Oceanside Pole tomatoes in 22-pound two-layer, 25-pound volume fill, 15-pound single-layer boxes, RPCs and 5-pound club packs.

Oppy also launched its from the field video series this year and features Oceanside Pole tomato production. James Galindo, senior sales representative, documented the start of the season and will continue throughout the year, the release said.

“My vision has been to film this entire season from start to finish. I want it to be as digestible and succinct as possible to help educate those who don’t know the extent of the effort that goes into a pole-grown tomato,” Galindo said.

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