Got some organic Honeycrisp? That is the question that the market is asking suppliers, says Dan Davis, director of business development for Wenatchee, Wash.-based Starr Ranch Growers.
“It seems no matter how much we transition, this market wants more,” Davis said.
Starr Ranch Growers provides a year-round supply of conventional and organic fruit through a dual-hemisphere program, he said.
This year, a larger crop in Washington will bring more volume to the marketer’s organic program, Davis said.
Looking for value
Inflation is a concern to some organic consumers, Davis said.
“It’s certainly making a segment of the market take a step back in their evaluation of what goes in their cart,” Davis said. “We’ve got to find a way to provide ‘value’ organic options for that segment. Retail needs to find [a] way to provide those options to those cost-conscious consumers.”
In recent developments, Starr Ranch Growers has added some social accountability elements to the auditing and tracking efforts of its sustainably-grown program, Davis said.
