Latest News From Melons

In mid-November, Nogales, Ariz.-based EarthBlend was receiving a steady supply of Sonoran soft squash and cucumbers, and Sinaloa volume was about to kick in, says Steve Spence, director of sales.

Mulling over melon practices: My, how our perspective changes as we grow up, open our minds and discover that the Greatest Generation might have known something we didn’t.

Arizona-based melon producer and importer Fresh Farms has weathered spring delays and is expanding its offerings from Hermosillo, Mexico, in the summer months ahead.

The brand is currently offering organic mini watermelons, organic cantaloupe and organic honeydew melons from Mexico and California to its East Coast customers.

After a slow start, the grower-shipper anticipates a strong, promotable Mexican melon program headed into the summer months.

California is expected have plenty of good-quality tree fruit, melons and other commodities this summer, though some items might get off to a later start than usual, and early volume on others may be off a bit.

Melon production got off to a slightly later start than usual in many areas of the U.S., Mexico and Central America this spring, but growers are optimistic about the quality coming out of the fields.

The strategic marketing alliance will provide cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and mixed melons to retail, foodservice and fresh-cut customers.

The Ontario-based greenhouse grower says its emphasis on driving innovation in new product development has led to the launch of two greenhouse-grown melon varieties in less than six months.

Melons may be summer’s candy, arguably, but they're available from California, Delaware, Missouri and Texas through October, and year-round in Mexico. Try these steps to achieve melon merchandising success.

The Rocky Ford, Colo.-based family business shares the challenges and triumphs of this year's melon growing season.

Melon supplier, Fyffes, released a report with early strategy successes on its first anniversary. The changes are part of a plan to improve operations, environmental impact and worker welfare on Honduran melon farms.

MONTEREY, Calif. —  Pure Flavor was touting its greenhouse-grown Solara Mini Melons at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foodservice Conference Expo on July 29.

Fyffes and its Honduran melon subsidiary Sol Group have launched a series of ‘Community Medical Brigades’ to reach community members and seasonal workers surrounding their farms during the off-season.

The melon harvest from the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley may start a few days later than usual because of a cool spring, but quality should be good, grower-shippers said.

Berries, apples, bananas and citrus were the top organic fruits ranked by sales during 2021, according to the State of Organic Produce 2021 report from the Organic Produce Network and Category Partners

Despite rising production costs, a shortage of truck drivers and other challenges, melon suppliers are expecting a successful domestic season.

Spring brings a broad availability of commodities from Mas Melons and Grapes, LLC. It has spent decades building up its offerings. And the company continues to grow its list of commodities and volume.

Fyffes has concluded its first community needs assessment in the surrounding communities of its melon farms in Choluteca, Honduras.

The melon and watermelon production and export industry of Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama is facing one of the greatest risks and threats to the sustainability of the business, its leaders say.

The government of Uzbekistan has asked USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to authorize the importation of fresh Melon (Cucumis melo) for consumption into the United States.

There were more shake-ups on PMG the second week of July, with cucumbers moving up to No. 1 and beans climbing from No. 6 the previous week to No. 2.

The first week of July brought a lot of shuffling of the top 20 produce items on Produce Market Guide, with some summertime specialties joining the ranks of standard favorites.

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.

Expanded melon output is expected this summer from Los Angeles-based Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms, according to Josh Leichter, CEO.

For the past couple of weeks a certain specialty has been topping the charts on PMG — namely, loquat!

Some Texas melon growers may have reduced volume due to the record-breaking cold weather, but many are expected to catch up.

Shoppers want what they can’t have.

It’s time to go back to basics, y’all.

Rio Rico, Ariz.-based MAS Melons & Grapes LLC will conduct limited trials of a melon called orange candy starting in late February, said salesman Mikee Suarez.

The latest episode of Millennials Eat is all about melons, from varieties to selling strategies to taste testing. 

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.

Fresh produce dollar sales for the biggest holiday week of the summer totaled $1.54 billion, up 9% from 2019.

Sales of specialty melons appear to be headed back to normal after stumbling a bit at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dulcinea Farms is the exclusive marketer and distributor of Kiss Melons, through a new partnership.

California summer fruit grower-shippers traditionally credit weather with having a say in what kind of season they’ll have.

The 2020 domestic watermelon harvest was expected to be underway by the second week of April, according to the Winter Springs, Fla.-based National Watermelon Promotion Board.

Distributors of produce from West Mexico were hoping for a fruitful spring after a fall/winter season affected by rainstorms and cold weather.

Good weather this winter should result in plentiful supplies of top-notch spring produce from California’s grower-shippers.

Compared to all other parts of the years, the fall selling season used to be an afterthought to produce merchandiser and retailers.

Coral Gables, Fla.-based Del Monte Fresh Produce NA has appointed Scott Owens vice president of sales and product management.

A couple of weeks ago, somebody in a Facebook group I’m part of shared an article on the proper (and Southern) way to eat watermelon — with salt.

Turlock, Calif.-based Turlock Fruit Co. Inc. is for the first time promoting its Orangedew honeydew to customers and new potential customers, and plans to extend acreage as well, said Steve Smith, co-owner.

Fresh-cut melons are a newer target market this season for some Westside melon growers.

Vandervoet & Associates Inc., will have a slightly larger valencia orange deal out of Sonora, Mexico.

Many of the produce items shipped from West Mexico during the spring are similar to those that arrive in winter. However, fruit items, like melons and mangoes, tend to have a greater presence as the weather warms up.

Dulcinea Farms, part of Pacific Trellis Fruit, Los Angeles, has hired Sandra Sanchez as director of quality assurance.

Catch up on news and updates from melon grower-shippers involved in California's Westside melon deal.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Turlock Fruit Co. expects to delight consumers with high quality cantaloupe, honeydew and mixed melons this year.

Consumers who enjoy Savor Fresh Farms’ Kiss Melons have new ways to enjoy them — fresh-cut and cold-pressed juices.