For the 2025 season, PennRose Farms will continue to offer dry mixed vegetables from Nogales Ariz., and McAllen, Texas, including cucumber, bell pepper, eggplant, beans, soft and hard squash.
The company plans to increase its acreage in core items such as cucumber, bell pepper and eggplant from West Mexico, said Chris Ciruli, partner of PennRose Farms LLC.
“PennRose’s year-round organic program continues to grow, this season most notably with cucumber, zucchini and yellow squash, which are available from West Mexico starting in October and shipping through May,” Ciruli said. “We are also adding organic mini cucumber and green beans this year, in bulk and specialty pack options, to expand our product lineup.”
Ciruli said PennRose is rebranding its conventional vegetables with legacy brands that include Golden West and Pueblo’s Pride. The new branding, which debuted at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show in October, has been well received by customers, he said.
“As we rebrand, PennRose is rolling out a myriad of new packaging options, including updated carton, labels, and new value-added packs,” he said. “We are also excited to offer shrink-wrapped items in a few styles for our conventional and organic product lineup.”
Ciruli said the reintroduced brand names feature retro-inspired designs that are indicative of its values and quality standards.
“As our product lines increase, so are the number of consumer packs across our brands, both conventional and organic,” he said. “Our Rowdy Rabbit Organics product line, which launched in 2023, is now available in different bags, clamshell and shrink-wrapped options. From West Mexico, this includes organic green beans, bell pepper, cucumber, eggplant, squash and tomatoes.”
Ciruli noted the company’s eggplant program has been especially successful.
“We continue to make strides in marketing both organic and conventional eggplant with an extended growing season from West Mexico,” he said. “Eggplant is available from November through June and is marketed in a traditional 1-bushel case as well as specialty wrapped and tray packs.”
Among long-term trends, he said PennRose Farms continues to see an increase in demand for specialty packs, including bagged and wrapped products, across mixed vegetable items. “We expect this trend will continue to grow and look to meet rising customer demand with flexible and sustainable packaging options.”
