Stable volume expected for Classic Fruit Co.

Stable acreage for conventionally grown cantaloupe and honeydew  is planned for Fresno, Calif.-based Classic Fruit Co. Inc., said Tom Conrado, vice president of sales and business development for the company. The company is moving to more extended-shelf-life varieties with better flavor profiles, he said. Late August through mid-September will see peak production for the company, Conrado said, with a total of 1.1-1.2 million cartons of melons anticipated this year.
“Early fields suffered effects of wet weather patterns while cooler than normal temps have held fruit back slightly so far,” Conrado said. While acreage is stable this year, acreage reduction and fallowing are planned for 2022 because of severe water shortages in the valley.

Foodservice demand slowly coming back

COVID had a big effect on foodservice sales, Conrado said.  Foodservice demand is beginning to come back by late May, but how quickly it will be all the way back is impossible to know, he said. “(I am) unsure if foodservice will ever come back to pre-pandemic levels with less people eating out as well as less restaurant options,” Conrado said. Over the past five years, he said Classic Fruit Co. has seen direct retail relationships increase, while there somewhat fewer wholesale/broker type sales. Retailers can maximize sales by merchandising product with proper display, location and size.

Labor needs

Classic Fruit will use some H-2A labor this season, with available labor supply limited, Conrado said. Long shelf-life and extended shelf-life cantaloupe varieties allow less use of labor compared to other varieties, he said. Solar and high-efficiency irrigation technology are among sustainability initiatives at the company, he said.

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