While some U.S. importers say they’ve been receiving shipments of Peruvian sweet onions since early August, most say they’ll have significant volume by early September, and they’re gearing up for another productive season.
Bland Farms
Glennville-based Bland Farms will offer Vidalia sweet onions through late September and then transition to premium sweet onions from Peru, says Delbert Bland, owner and CEO.
The Peruvian sweet onions look great, Bland says. “The size and quality are very strong this year.”
Conditions in Peru are good for growing sweet onions, he says.
“Peru’s growing region offers one of the best climates for onions: very little rainfall and consistently dry conditions,” Bland says.
Georgia receives about 60 inches of rain a year, and that can cause issues, he says.
“In Peru, the dry climate allows us to manage irrigation precisely,” he says. “With drip irrigation, we can spoon-feed the onions exactly what they need rather than fighting the excess rain we see in Georgia.”
G&R Farms
Glennville, Ga.-based G&R Farms typically offers Peruvian onions from Labor Day until Vidalia season kicks off in April, says CEO Blake Dasher.
“That timing allows us to maintain a seamless supply of sweet onions for our retail partners,” he says.
Quality of Peruvian onions this year is fantastic, says Cliff Riner, the company’s vice president of ag production and grower relations.
“We’re seeing superb consistency across the board,” he says.
Size distribution is also good.
“We’re well positioned to fill orders of all sizes,” says Steven Shuman, general manager and vice president of sales.
Volume at G&R Farms is expected to be up 3% to 5% compared to last year.
“That aligns with our long-term strategy of measured, sustainable growth and our goal of reliably supplying our customers with the highest-quality sweet onions year-round,” Shuman says.
Price on Peruvian onions should remain stable this year, he adds.
Shuman Farms
Reidsville, Ga.-based Shuman Farms will start shipping Peruvian sweet onions in early September and run through late April 1, says John Shuman, president and CEO.
“This timing ensures we can continue offering a premium sweet onion once Vidalia season wraps up,” he says.
The company expects to have its normal production with good quality across the board.
“We’re confident in delivering a consistent crop to our retailer partners,” he says.
The size profile also is developing nicely, with a strong mix of medium- and jumbo-size onions that should provide retailers and foodservice operators flexibility in their programs, he says.
“We will be encouraging our retailer partners promote both bag and bulk product throughout the season,” John Shuman adds.
Retail sales are the core of Shuman Farms’ Peruvian program, but foodservice also is an important channel.
“Chefs appreciate the mild flavor and reliable availability of Peruvian sweet onions for their menus,” he says.
L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc.
L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc., Lyons, Ga., was ahead of the game selling off its Vidalia sweet onions this summer, so the company started receiving Peruvian onions around the first of August, says John Williams, director of sales and marketing.
Since the grower the company has worked with for about 13 years uses drip irrigation, the onions have a “darker, cleaner look” than Vidalia onions, he says, adding that the grower also does a good job with sizing.
“So far, we’ve been able to get everything we need as far as colossals, jumbos and mediums for repack,” Williams says.
Volume should be about the same as last year for L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms.
Fob prices for Peruvian onions usually are about the same as Vidalia sweet onions, Williams says, but they might be a tad higher than last year because of increased ocean freight rates and higher tariffs.
“It’s going to be a couple bucks per case more for Peruvian onions,” Williams says.
The company should have Peruvian onions until mid-March. If supplies run out before Vidalias come on, onions can be sourced from Mexico, he says.
Packaging and Organics
Suppliers offer a wide range of packaging options for Peruvian onions.
Shuman Farms ships 2-, 3- and 5-pound consumer bags as well as bulk, John Shuman says.
They’re also available in a special pink sweet onion bag in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in special Feeding America bags in November and December to raise awareness about hunger.
“For merchandising, we provide both full-sized primary display bins and secondary display bins to make in-store execution simple and effective,” he adds.
G&R Farms’ packaging choices include everything from 2-pound mesh bags for retail shoppers to 40-pound bulk boxes and pallet-sized bins filled with sweet onions for warehouse and wholesale buyers, Steven Shuman says.
“We’re happy to collaborate with our customers on custom pack sizes to help them achieve their goals and better serve their shoppers,” he adds.
Many grower-shippers also ensure that consumers have organic options for Peruvian onions.
“Organics represent a smaller but steady portion of our program,” John Shuman says, “and we continue to see solid interest from certain retail markets.”
G&R Farms’ organic program will be about 20% above last year’s, Steven Shuman says.
“Out of our total Peru volume, organics represent a meaningful share and continue to show steady demand growth year over year,” he says.
