Latest News From Broccoli

The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2023 survey found that 43% of consumers reported purchasing broccoli in the past year.

Broccoli isn't the only cruciferous vegetables worth merchandising, broccoli's cousins — broccolini, romanesco, broccoli rabe and cauliflower — can enliven wet racks and provides shoppers an array of options.

Salinas, Calif.-based Pacific International Marketing Inc. expects to have 500 to 600 more organic acres ready to farm this year, said Kim Fellom, sales executive and marketing manager.

Because of increased growing costs at its Oxnard, Calif., headquarters, Boskovich Farms Inc. now is producing its fall-winter organic vegetable crop in Baja California, Mexico.

Ocean Mist Farms is making a major effort to increase its value-added line, and Progressive Produce LLC has had a busy year.

Everything you want to know about broccoli numbers.

Broccoli is on a steady climb as one of the top 10 vegetables studied in Fresh Trends.

Even though 2020 was a great year for selling crops to retailers, many of New York’s growers are playing it safe by not planting too much more for the 2021 season.

Although things weren't all red, white and blue on PMG in the week leading up to the July Fourth holiday, seasonal favorites still stacked the top 20.

Strawberries retained the No. 1 spot on PMG the week of Feb. 1, but apples rose from No. 8 the previous week to take the No. 2 slot.

Pummelos were finally knocked from their weeks-long run at No. 1 when strawberries took the top spot on PMG the week of Jan. 25.

Pummelo, oranges and strawberries carried the top three spots on PMG for the third week in a row, while lettuce rose three places to No. 4, and apples gained four spots to complete the top 5.

If we could manage obesity, type 2 diabetes, lower our risks of heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, cataracts, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s by consuming more fruits and vegetables — why aren’t we? 

Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Pharr, Texas, found $11.6 million in suspected methamphetamine hidden inside a trailer load of fresh broccoli from Mexico.

Mann Packing Co. Inc. is launching new products — three microwaveable dishes marketed as Veggie Sides, and Better Crunch Lettuce.

Pacific International Marketing, Salinas, Calif., has hired Greg Villalobos as sales executive and commodity manager.

Curious about the new items in the Season & Steam lineup from Ocean Mist Farms? Retail editor Ashley Nickle and copy editor and designer Amelia Freidline tried them out in this latest episode of Millennials Eat.

Curious about the new vegetable meal kits and new chopped salads from Taylor Farms? In case you haven't yet scored a sample, Amelia and Ashley gave them a try at home as part of their New Product Review series.

Curious about Ready Sides? In case you haven't yet scored a sample, Amelia and Ashley gave them a try at home as part of their New Product Review series for Fresh Summit.

While the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t cancel the Sakata Seed America’s California Field Days, it forced the company to severely limit attendance.

Guadalupe, Calif.-based Beachside Produce LLC is bringing full production of Brussels sprouts, celery and broccoli to the market for the holiday season.

Ocean Mist Farms, Castroville, Calif., has five new products in its Season & Steam line.

Church Brothers Farms has four new value-added fresh-cut items under a new line called Ready Sides.

Produce industry operations in Salinas had mostly returned to normal Aug. 27, one week after two wildfires threatened the region, prompting evacuations, dumping ash onto crops, and significantly worsening air quality.

Chris Koger Church Brothers Farms, Salinas, Calif., is adding five Green Giant Fresh value-added products.

Soledad, Calif.-based Braga Fresh Family Farms plans to extend its Josie’s Organics Cut Veg product line by late October with an organic riced cauliflower option, said Heather Fuller, senior sales manager.

Here is the consumer data for broccoli and Brussels sprouts in 2020!

Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a load of broccoli containing $16.1 million of methamphetamine as it crossed into Texas.

Salinas, Calif.-based Church Brothers Farms has “worked tirelessly” to expand its retail line of Green Giant Fresh products, said Rick Russo, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

Church Brothers Farms, Salinas, Calif., is introducing sweet baby cauliflower and sweet baby broccoli to the foodservice market.

Retail sales of fresh vegetables continue to significantly exceed 2019 as many consumers continue to eat more meals at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monterey County’s top four most valuable crops remained unchanged from 2018 to 2019, led by leaf lettuce, which saw an increase of almost 15%, boosted by better pricing for romaine.

Soledad, Calif.-based Braga Fresh plans to introduce several new items, including for its Josie’s Organics line, at the United Fresh Live virtual trade show June 15-19.

Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 1 ½ tons of marijuana in a fresh broccoli shipment as it crossed into the U.S. in Texas.

A warm winter and rainy spring with a few hail storms and tornadoes have put a damper on some of Georgia’s crops, which peak in marketable volume mid-May to mid-June.

Good growing weather this winter should result in some exceptional fruit and vegetable crops out of California’s Salinas Valley this season.

Whether you’re looking for organic Brussels sprouts, romaine hearts, tomatoes or just about any other vegetable this summer, supplies should be ample. 

Texas is taking a big share of Mexican import growth in recent years.

Sakata Seed America, Morgan Hill, Calif., has acquired lettuce seed company Vanguard Seed.

A load of fresh broccoli entering the U.S. at a Texas border entry was found to have almost $18.5 million worth of narcotics hidden in the trailer.

Apples took over the No. 1 spot on Produce Market Guide last week, pushing oranges to No. 2.

Mann Packing Co. is recalling products in the U.S. and Canada after federal health agencies in the two countries notified the company of a potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mini sweet peppers and sweet baby broccoli were two new items featured at the Southern Specialties booth at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Eight years into the 10-year Eastern Broccoli Project, the broccoli industry in the eastern U.S. is valued at $90 million and the project is expected to meet a $100-million goal.

Japan has agreed to eliminate tariffs on a number of U.S. exports, including almonds, blueberries and sweet corn.

A semi-trailer carrying broccoli was recently seized at the Pharr (Texas) International Bridge when officers found 600 pounds of marijuana in the shipment.

Fresh from the Start’s Maine broccoli harvest is going strong.

Vegetable “pasta” maker Cece’s Veggie Co., Austin, Texas, made Inc. Magazine’s annual list of fastest-growing private companies, with a three-year revenue growth of 23,880% to put it at No. 3.

Second-quarter vegetable sales totaled $7.68 billion, up 5.3% from the same period in 2018.