DJ Forry Co. features ample pomegranate volume

Reedley, Calif.-based DJ Forry Co. will have a good crop of pomegranates to offer this year, says Ray England, vice president of marketing.

The 50-year-old company has been a pomegranate supplier for about three decades, England said. "All of our pomegranates are gown in the central valley of California through a family of long-time growers," he said. 

Drought did have a significant crop impact in certain areas of California, he said. In addition, there was a late freeze that had impact on early pomegranate varieties and perhaps a limited impact on wonderfuls.

Still, as of late August, England said the wonderful variety looks to be shaping up to yield near-average volumes and sizes. The firm's typical harvest window is mid-October through the first part of November. 

DJ Forry has one early variety of pomegranate, called the rubilee. That variety started in late August and will go into mid-September, England said. “We’ll start our wonderfuls in mid-October with a target of running through the end of December. “

The company offers pomegranate Sweet Bursts arils in 8-ounce, 4.4-ounce and 4-ounce cups.

In addition to domestic sales, DJ Forry also exports to Japan, Australia, and other parts of Southeast Asia. 

Retail push

Anyone can be a pomegranate consumer, England said. “Pomegranates are an impulse item,” Forry said. “In order to maximize sales, off-shelf floor stack displays are the key.”

Retailers can sell pomegranates to anyone, England said.

“(Retailers) just have to have them visible with a reasonable retail price point. Pomegranates represent an incremental sales opportunity.”