Pomegranates

Why shoppers seek these tiny jewels of the produce aisle

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:28:51 GMT

Pomegranates are a seasonal jewel in grocery stores, driven by consumer demand for its flavor and health benefits. The introduction of arils elevated the fruit’s popularity even more with its ease of use.

Seasonal varieties

Pomegranates are nutritional powerhouses, low in calories and fat — yet high in fiber, vitamins and minerals — making it a great option for fall consumption.

According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center , pomegranates are not only attractive with their deep red color and royal crown, but its “sweet-sour flavor and high antioxidant content are more reasons why manufacturers and consumers alike are mesmerized by the pomegranate.”

“We exclusively grow and sell Wonderful variety pomegranates grown in California,” said Jennifer Hirano, vice president of marketing for POM Wonderful . “Quality is of the utmost importance to us and Wonderful pomegranates are the premium pomegranate variety — known for their large size, beautiful dark ruby red color and sweet yet tart flavor.”

Bari Produce President Justin Bedwell says the company sells three varieties: Early Foothill, Early Wonderful and Wonderful varieties.

“Timing is the unique factor for the first two,” Bedwell said. “We thin both varieties to help give us better-sized fruit, but just having fruit that last week of August is so important to kick off our season. Still, the Wonderful variety is the king in regards to size, color and flavor.”

Pomegranate arils

(Photo: iStock)

The convenience of arils

Pomegranate arils offer a convenient and ready-to-eat option for consumers, making it easy to enjoy the vibrant flavors and health benefits without the hassle of peeling and deseeding.

“POM Wonderful’s California arils are available October through February each year. We are also excited to offer a limited import arils program in the spring and early summer with fruit from South America that maintains POM Wonderful’s high-quality standards,” Hirano said.

Sun Belle Director of Business Development Ken Hopps says the company’s pomegranates arils, available in conventional (Sun Belle) and organic (Green Belle) versions, receive a favorable response due to the convenience of the packaging in 4.4 ounce cups with resealable labels.

The Peruvian pomegranates undergo a unique ultraviolent light treatment that kills pathogens and extends their shelf life by removing excess water and moisture, Hopps said. The domestic California pomegranates do not use this process.

Hopps said the California season runs from mid-October to the end of January, when the company switches to its Peruvian pomegranates.

“The arils have a favorable response because consumers love the convenience. They know that even if they don’t finish the cups in one sitting they can put it back in the fridge with its resealable container and it’s fresh until the next time,” Hopps said.

In-store marketing

Displays are the best driver of pomegranate arils, Hirano says.

“Since fresh pomegranates are only available from October through January and are typically purchased on impulse, having a strong display section at the front of the produce section is a great way to optimize sales and signal that fresh pomegranate season has started,” Hirano said. “For our POM Wonderful fresh pomegranates, we have a large bin with eye-catching graphics that highlight our full family of products, aka The Antioxidant Superpowers.

“Retailers can leverage the branded packaging and high-graphic in-store point-of-sale displays, including bin bases, posters and balloons to drive impulse pomegranate purchases,” Hirano continued.

Give shoppers a road map

“Finding our POM arils in-store varies by location so consumers often don’t know where to look,” Hirano said. “To solve this, we’ve developed new POS to call out where they’re located so customers can easily find them — which can be merchandised with our fresh pomegranate bins or with our POM juice.”

Consumer trends

While fresh pomegranates are a solid fall produce item, Bedwell says, having juice and arils components in the store helps add to that popularity.

“Health trends also continue to push the popularity of pomegranates with consumers,” Bedwell said.

“Since the holidays take place throughout fresh pomegranate season, this is a great time to showcase the versatility of pomegranates and different usage occasions,” Hirano said. “Consumers often seek unique culinary ingredients to spruce up meals such as salads, smoothies, yogurt and charcuterie boards — or as a festive garnish for holiday cocktails and mocktails for that perfect ruby red pop of color.

“POM arils are also a great replacement for summer berries, with antioxidant health benefits as a bonus,” Hirano continued. “We typically see use of POM arils and POM juice during key fall holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Halloween and Thanksgiving, as the ruby red color adds a vibrant addition to consumers’ favorite drinks and dishes.”

Whether whole or arils, pomegranates are a bright fruit for the holidays and beyond.

POM Wonderful’s liquid extract secures Upcycled certification

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:55:18 GMT

California-based pomegranate grower and producer POM Wonderful says it has underlined its commitment to sustainability by certifying its POMxL liquid pomegranate extract with a third-party program, Upcycled Certified, according to a news release.

POMxL is made under POM Wonderful’s Specialty Ingredients division, which provides raw ingredients to suppliers across the food and beverage industry. Made from 100% upcycled material using the rinds of pomegranate fruit, POM Wonderful uses a proprietary method to press whole pomegranates to create POM 100% Pomegranate Juice. After the initial press, the crushed rinds are then pressure extracted — without the use of harsh chemicals — and concentrated, resulting in a liquid extract containing pomegranate polyphenol antioxidants, the release said.

“As an agriculture company, we are hyper-focused on minimizing our impact on the environment and maximizing the benefits from each fruit in the pursuit of a zero-waste future,” Jason Horvath, sales manager for POM Wonderful Specialty Ingredients, said in the release. “We are proud to provide products that result in healthier food choices, while solving a climate need for waste reduction.”

Related news: USDA invests $25M more into food loss programs

Beyond being a key ingredient in POM Wonderful’s Antioxidant Super Tea, POMxL can be used in a variety of applications, including beverages, plant-based foods and beauty products. In addition to its Upcycled Certification, POMxL as an ingredient can help suppliers reduce sodium and sugar; enhance color, flavor and texture; and add antioxidant goodness to their products, according to the release.

More sustainability milestones

Last year POM Wonderful transitioned all its 16-ounce bottles of POM Wonderful juices to 100% rPET (recycled plastic) and completed work on its solar farm, which provides more than 90% of the company’s electricity needs for its Del Rey, California processing facility, the release said.

In 2020, POM Wonderful launched the Innovation Challenge, offering $1 million in funding and development resources to innovators who could create an economical and environmentally friendly solution to upcycle its 50,000 tons of pomegranate husks, the release said.

To date, The Wonderful Company and its owners, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, have invested more than $1.3 billion in environmental sustainability initiatives to help fight climate change, according to the release. This commitment includes a $750 million gift from the Resnicks to the California Institute of Technology in support of the school’s environmental sustainability research, the release said.

Later start but good quality expected for California tree fruit, melons

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:26:10 GMT

Despite record rain, snow and some unusually cold weather this winter, California should have plenty of good-quality tree fruit, melons and other commodities this summer.

However, some items might get off to a later start than usual, and early volume on others may be off a bit.

“We had a lot of rain, but the rain really didn’t do any damage at all,” said Levon Ganajian, vice president of retail relations for Fresno, Calif.-based Trinity Fruit Sales Co. “We think the front end of the program is going to be light, but not very much.”

Early volume of peaches and nectarines will be off because rain prevented bees from pollinating the flowers, Ganajian said.

“Even when the flowers were out, the bees weren’t able to pollinate,” he said.

Ganajian was optimistic about the later part of the season.

“Once we get past the early part of the season in May and into the bulk of the season in June, July and August, we expect full crops and good volume on everything,” he said.

The combination of ample water, plenty of chill hours and little stress on the trees should result in good quality and good sizing.

An early freeze affected the apricot crop, so it will get a later start. Supplies during May will be lighter than usual.

“We’ll have promotable volume in June into the first part of September,” Ganajian said.

California’s melon crop escaped the wrath of the state’s cold, rainy winter, said Garrett Patricio, president of Firebaugh, Calif.-based Westside Produce . Patricio also is chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board and serves on the California Melon Research Board.

Though the California melon industry has had a reduction in acreage over the past 20 years, things seem to have stabilized during the past five years, he said. Volume has stayed the same, even as some acreage has fallen off.

“We’ve gotten much better with agronomy and farming practices,” he said. “While acres are decreasing, total volumes have managed to stay the same because yields are better.”

He said he expected to see as many cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed melons planted in 2022 as in 2023.

As with other commodities, the season may get a later start than usual for California’s Imperial Valley spring melon deal and the Westside summer program.

“We may not see an early May or a mid-May start,” Patricio said.

A late-May kickoff seemed more likely.

“I anticipate there will be some gaps throughout the spring, summer and fall based on the weather, water and environmental impacts we’ve seen,” he said.

Westside Produce recently joined with Fresno-based Classic Fruit Co. to offer melons year-round.

Fresno-based Crown Jewels Produce will start its melon program in late April, said salesman Stephen Thomason. The company offers cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons as well as grapes, pears and pomegranates. All commodities will start 10-14 days later than usual because of rain and cold weather, he said, but size and quality should be good. Volume should be similar to last year.

Grapes will start middle to late May, pears will get underway the second week of July and pomegranates in September.

High quality, good sizing and healthy yields forecast for California pomegranates

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:07:53 GMT

California pomegranate season is almost here, which means suppliers are gearing up for this year’s harvest and preparing to showcase this nutrient-rich superfood.

And if the largely favorable 2023 growing season and recent sales figures are any indication, this should be another good year for the coral-red fruit with leathery skin and jewel-like arils.

According to Circana Integrated Fresh multi-outlet data for the 52 weeks ending July 2, 2023, dollar sales for fresh pomegranates reached more than $160 million — a 16% increase over the previous year and 27.5% higher than two years prior. Unit sales grew more than 11%, and by volume increased more than 13% over the previous year.

“This shows nice dollar growth year-over-year,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics in San Antonio. “Sustained interest can be seen with the large jumps when comparing sales to a year ago, but also comparing to two and three years ago.”

This is further underscored by double-digit growth both by the unit and pound, she said.

Pomegranate prices have stayed relatively flat year-over-year, however, with price per pound up 2% and price per unit up 4%.

“We have seen incredible growth in demand in the last few years,” said Levon Ganajian, vice president of retail relations at Trinity Co. in Fresno, Calif.

Fueling the trend, he explains, are the year-round availability of pomegranate arils, as well as the country’s changing demographics.

“More than 50% of the population has never had a pomegranate, so the growth potential is there,” he said.

Derrick Miller, president of POM Wonderful in Los Angeles, agrees that the convenience of ready-to-eat arils has helped move the needle, along with years of consumer outreach.

“We continue to put a lot of energy and investment around educating consumers about pomegranates,” he said.

Here’s a look at how the 2023 pomegranate crop is shaping up and the ways in which suppliers are working to promote the fruit this season.

Crop outlook and availability

A cooler-than-normal growing season led to a delay in bloom in California’s Central Valley, with fruit development lagging behind by a week or so.

“I think the promising piece there is that we’ve had somewhat fair growing conditions compared to last year,” Miller said. “I’d say that heat units haven’t been quite as significant.”

Ganajian said that the winter’s plentiful rainfall reduced stress on pomegranate trees this year.

“Also, we had very little frost damage than in previous years,” he said. “We have had less extreme heat that has provided us with less sunburned fruit as well.”

This season’s fruit quality looks better than in previous years, he said, and pomegranates are showing slightly increased sizing and the potential for larger yields.

While the region did experience heavy rain and wind in August due to Tropical Storm Hilary, effects to the 2023 pomegranate crop appear to be minimal.

“We are assessing the fruit from Hilary, and so far, so good,” Ganajian said. “We seem to have avoided damage.”

Trinity Co. expects to begin bringing in its proprietary Sweetheart varieties in early September, with Wonderful to follow in October and November.

Miller said Hilary’s effects have been negligible thus far for the Wonderful variety.

“[The crop] is still pretty green right now, so we’re thankful that it looks like we’ve made it through this one,” he said. “If the storm came a month from now, that might be a different story.”

Sizing looks good at this stage in the fruit’s development, said Miller, who projected that POM Wonderful will begin harvesting in early to mid-October.

John Vena Inc. , based in Philadelphia, will also carry Wonderful pomegranates when peak season begins in October or early November.

“There is a lot of time yet for growing conditions to affect the fruit,” said Emily Kohlhas, director of marketing. “We anticipate similar volumes compared to last year, but we have some time yet to refine yield projections and feel out demand.”

Once the California fruit season wraps up in December, the company will transition to counter-season pomegranates from Israel. In March, when the Israeli season typically ends, JVI will offer Wonderful pomegranates from Peru, where the season runs into June.

“Last year we had very strong volumes and exceptional internal quality out of Israel and particularly Peru,” Kohlhas said. “We are working with growers to improve external color, but based on results last year we have high hopes for this coming season.”

Marketing and retail promotion

With a high-quality crop and healthy yields anticipated, pomegranate suppliers are ramping up efforts to promote them to U.S. consumers.

Last year, POM Wonderful marketed pomegranates as the “Antioxidant Superpower.” For 2023, the company is highlighting their versatility in recipes.

“We’ve been continuously communicating on the diversity of offerings with cooking, snacking and anything that’s highlighting POM as a better-for-you choice,” Miller said. “We’ve also been leaning in on mixology for our juice.”

Health and wellness messaging is still a priority, he adds. To promote the nutritional benefits of its products, POM works with a national network of registered dietitians to create content and recipes for the company’s Instagram page. POM is also jumping into TikTok.

In addition, POM will launch a new marketing campaign this fall across digital, social and print platforms, with strong POS support at retail. The details are currently under wraps, with company representatives set to tease the campaign at the International Fresh Produce Association ’s 2023 Global Produce & Floral Show in October.

Health benefits are also a focus for Trinity Co., which will be providing POS materials to help retailers communicate the pomegranate’s status as a superfood.

“We are working with our retail partners to support digital and flyer ad promotions, in addition working with food networks, social media and chefs to come up with different ways to use pomegranate products,” Ganajian said. “We offer a high-graphic bin program as well, because bins provide a terrific vehicle for the customer to buy on impulse.”

In-store demos can be implemented to cross-promote products, he said, such as pomegranates and yogurt. Bundling whole fruit with juice and arils has also been an effective strategy at retail.

POM Wonderful is printing QR codes on bins and creating enhanced POS materials that direct consumers to recipes and educational videos, such as how to open a pomegranate.

To ensure a great pomegranate selling season, Miller encourages retailers to leverage POM Wonderful’s eye-catching packaging and the high-graphic, POS displays such as bin bases, posters and balloons. In addition, the company’s team of in-store merchandisers can assist retailers in building displays.

“Many people do not come to the grocery store with pomegranates on their grocery list, so when it comes to waking up the consumer and letting them know poms are back, displays are the number one trigger for whole pomegranate trial,” Miller said.

When it comes to displays, he adds, size matters — the bigger the better.

“We’re only around from October through December, so it’s important to use as many tools as you can to continue to drive growth,” Miller said.

Learn: More about pomegranates from PMG

Pomegranate volume back to normal

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:44:39 GMT

After two “fairly short” years, California’s pomegranate volume should be moving back to normal this season.

Pomegranates had “an exceptional bloom in comparison to last year,” said Tom Tjerandsen, manager of the Sonoma, Calif.-based Pomegranate Council .

Last year, heavy rain and hail during the bloom and a lot of bloom drop led to a crop that was about 18% below the normal harvest, he said.

“From then on out, the weather was fine, but there wasn’t a lot of fruit on the tree,” he said.

He expected the state’s pomegranate growers to produce about 6 million to 6.5 million 25-pound box equivalents of pomegranates this season.

Typically 20%-25% of California’s pomegranates are exported.

Tjerandsen sees continuing heavy demand from overseas markets, “but a lot of uncertainty about transportation” as airlines cut back on flights and ships are not making deliveries at the same rates they have in the past.

There was a question whether Pacific Rim customers will be able to buy as much pomegranate product as they have previously, he said.

“We’re hoping all that’s resolved before mid-October, when we start the heaviest part of our shipping season.”

The California pomegranate harvest typically starts south of Bakersfield in the Wheeler Ridge area in mid- to late August, he said.

The early foothill variety and other smaller-volume varieties begin to move into the distribution pipelines with smooth sailing until the second week of October, Tjerandsen said.

That’s when the wonderful variety comes on, which accounts for about 70% of the harvest.

The early foothills tend to be smaller, paler and have lower brix levels than the wonderful pomegranates, he said.

But those who are eager for the first California pomegranates are quick to snatch them up.

Foodservice operators use the foothills to start the recipe cycle that includes fresh pomegranates, Tjerandsen said.

“It’s really the wonderful that is the workhorse,” he said.

Although a few pomegranates are grown in Utah, Georgia, Texas and Arizona, and the Pomegranate Artichokes & Crafts Festival is held in Logandale, Nev., in early November, 95% or more of the domestic pomegranates are grown in California between Bakersfield and Fresno, Tjerandsen said.

Growers harvest pomegranates as long as they can, often well into November, but rain can be bad news.

If water gets into branches and down into the fruit before the harvest, the fruit splits.

“Once a pomegranate splits, it can’t even be used for juice, so it has no value,” he said.

Growers can ship out of storage until the end of February.

Juice is the main use for pomegranates, but tray-packed arils also can be found in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

Tjerandsen said the fruit is gaining popularity as consumers gain a greater understanding of the power of antioxidants, and as they discover them incorporated into menus at restaurants.

“They’re certainly, with the help of the foodservice industry, arriving in the mainstream,” he said.

There are “a million different ways” to serve pomegranates at foodservice, Tjerandsen said.

A restaurant operator who sprinkles pomegranate arils over a green salad can add $1 to the price, he said.

They can be sprinkled on a plate to add a dash of color or added to marinades or sauces, but the majority are consumed as a snack out of hand.

The internet has a plethora of suggestions about how to open a pomegranate and extract the arils.

Some people put them in bowl and munch on them instead of peanuts while they watch TV, he said.

They’re more of an impulse item at retail, and they’re often merchandised in bins or shippers provided by major suppliers.

That’s an advantage to the retailer, he said.

“All they have to do is find a space on the floor.”

Related Content:

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New line of pomegranate arils released

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:10:14 GMT

The POM Group of Mississauga Ontario has announced the release of a new line of fresh pomegranate arils, under the Royal brand.

Royal Brand Pomegranate Arils will be offered as a year-round program, according to a news release.
Fresh pomegranates are processed into arils by the company’s Canadian manufacturing facility, according to the release.

Royal Arils is planning for distribution in both Canada and the U.S., according to the release.

Royal Arils are available in 122 gram clamshells and a 1 kilogram food consumer pack, according to the release.

The POM Group plans for smaller snack size packs and larger consumer products in coming months, according to the release.

Flavor Tree Fruit looks for big pomegranate volume

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:13:53 GMT

The Flavor Tree Fruit Company will have significant pomegranate volume this year, said Maurice Cameron, sales director of Hanford, Calif.-based company.

“We should be a major player in the pomegranate deal— we’ve got about 2,500 acres of Wonderful variety pomegranates,” he said. Harvest will begin for the company in October. The crop may be slightly lighter than a year ago, but sizing is expected to be good.

“We’re planning on having the fruit through February,” he said, noting the company has controlled atmosphere storage.

“We can regulate how much to keep for the late season,” he said. “The only caveat we have is we want to make sure we have enough fruit available for the holidays because everybody needs to have pomegranates for sale for Thanksgiving and even Christmas,” he said.

Aril growth

The Flavor Tree Fruit Company has a new plant to produce arils and is growing that business, Cameron said.

“We’re going to offering in two different size cups,” he said, noting the 4.4-ounce and 8-ounce options. California pomegranate arils are expected to be available into March.

This year, Flavor Tree imported Argentina pomegranates to process into arils at their California facility, which is part of the company’s strategy to be a year-round supplier of arils, Cameron said.

“We are attempting to get into the 12-month a year aril deal,” he said.

The company also is expected to enter the not-from-concentrate pomegranate juice market by the end of the year.

Flavor Tree also will start offering golden kiwifruit from the firm’s 100 acres by about Oct. 15, he said.

“I think it looks like it should be a good crop,” he said. “Most of the vines are so young that they’re just getting into stride,” he said.

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POM Wonderful juice campaign focuses on antioxidants, health

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:40:34 GMT

POM Wonderful is launching a new marketing campaign for its pomegranate juice, focusing on the health benefits of antioxidants.

Dubbed the Antioxidant Superpower by the company, POM Wonderful juice will be promoted with health messaging in digital platforms including Facebook and Instagram, along with ads Runner’s World, WebMD, Better Homes & Gardens and other print publications, according to a news release.

“Antioxidants help fight free radicals which may damage our cells, and our 100% Pomegranate Juice has four times the antioxidant potency of green tea and more antioxidant potency than cranberry juice, grape juice, or red wine, according to an in-vitro study at UCLA,” Charlotte Mostaed, director of marketing for POM Wonderful, in the release. “As the Antioxidant Superpower, we’re dedicated in our efforts to provide insights and awareness around a benefit that is so important to our consumer.”

The company is bringing back the Worry Monsters, “larger-than-life inner voices of doom and gloom,” according to the release, who thrive when their human counterparts are downtrodden. Their main complaint is that humans are making healthier choices, like drinking POM Wonderful’s juice. The TV ads will air on syndicated doctor shows into 2020.

POM Wonderful sales in the “super premium” juice category accounted for nearly 7% of the overall growth in the category from 2016-18, with the 48-ounce stock-keeping unit growing by $18.3 million during that period, according to the release.

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Marketscope — Fruit f.o.b.s as of May 4

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Apples

YAKIMA VALLEY AND WENATCHEE DISTRICT WASHINGTON 2019 CROP — Shipments (1,053-1,133-1,147, Includes exports 265-256-279) — Movement expected about the same. Trading Gala active, others moderate. Prices Generally Unchanged. Washington Extra Fancy Carton tray pack Red Delicious 72-88s mostly 14.00-16.00, 100-113s mostly 13.00-15.00; Golden Delicious fine appearance 72s mostly 25.00- 28.00, 80s mostly 24.00-26.00, 88s mostly 22.00-26.00, 100s mostly 18.00-22.00; Fuji 64-88s mostly 18.00-20.00, 100s mostly 16.00- 18.00, 113s mostly 14.00-17.00; Granny Smith 64s mostly 18.00-20.00, 72-80s mostly 18.00-22.00, 88s 18.00-20.00, 100s mostly 17.00- 19.00, 113-125s mostly 16.00-18.00; Gala 64-72s mostly 22.00-24.00, 80s 20.00-24.00, 88s mostly 18.00-20.00, 100s mostly 15.00-17.00, 113s 13.00-16.00, 125s mostly 13.00-15.00; Honeycrisp 56s mostly 28.00-34.90, 64s mostly 32.00-38.90, 72-80s 34.00-40.90, 88s mostly 32.00-38.90, 100s mostly 30.00-36.90. Cartons 12 3-pound film bags Red Delicious Washington Extra Fancy 2 1/2" minimum mostly 15.95-17.95; Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Gala 2 1/2" minimum mostly 16.95-18.95; Granny Smith 1/2" minimum mostly 18.95-20.95; Honeycrisp 2 1/2" minimum mostly 30.95-34.95. ORGANIC cartons tray pack Gala Washington Extra Fancy 64s mostly 22.00-26.00, 72- 80s mostly 20.00-26.00, 88s mostly 18.00-24.00, 100s mostly 18.00-20.00; cartons 12 3 pound film bags Gala 2 1/2" minimum mostly 16.95-20.95.

NEW YORK 2019 CROP — Shipments (68-72-69) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading Moderate. Prices Generally Unchanged. Fuji Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy 80s-88s mostly 26.00-27.00; Gala Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy 80s-88s mostly 26.00-30.00; McIntosh Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy 80s-88s mostly 27.00-28.00; Empire Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy 80s-88s mostly 23.50-26.00; Cortland Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy 80s-88s mostly 24.00-28.00. Cartons 12 3-pound Film Bags Red Delicious U.S. Extra Fancy mostly 16.00-19.00; Fuji U.S. Extra Fancy mostly 20.00-22.00; Gala U.S. Extra Fancy 2 1/2 inch minimum mostly 20.00-23.00; McIntosh U.S. Extra Fancy 2 ½ inch minimum mostly 18.00-22.00; Empire U.S. Extra Fancy 2 1/2 inch minimum mostly 18.00-22.00.

MICHIGAN — Shipments (61-68-51) — Movement expected about the same. Trading Moderate. Prices Generally Unchanged. cartons 12 3- pound film bags U.S. Extra Fancy Gala and McIntosh mostly 18.00-20.00, Red Delicious mostly 17.00-19.00, Jonagold mostly 17.00- 18.00, Fuji and Golden Delicious mostly 19.00-21.00, Tray pack 88s Gala and Fuji 24.00-28.00, Red Delicious mostly 20.00-22.00, Golden Delicious 21.00-24.00. Supplies of Golden Delicious and McIntoshlight and in few hands, Fuji fairly light.

APPALACHIAN DISTRICT 2019 CROP — Shipments (22-19-20) — Movement expected about the same. Trading Fairly Active. Prices Unchanged. Cartons traypack U.S. Extra Fancy Red Delicious 72s-88s $20.00-21.00, 100s $19.00-20.00; Golden Delicious 72s-88s $25.00-26.00; Fuji 80s-88s $27.00-28.00; Gala 80s-88s $27.00-30.00; and McIntosh 80s-88s $26.00-28.00 cartons 12-3 pound filmbags U.S. Extra Fancy 2 1/2" minimum Red Delicious mostly $18.00-19.00, Golden Delicious $20.00-22.00, Fuji $21.00-23.00, Gala $22.00-24.00 and McIntosh $19.00-21.00.

NEW ENGLAND 2019 CROP — Shipments (2-2-3) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Too few open market sales to establish a market.

Apricots

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CALIFORNIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (U-U-U) — Light and sporadic has harvesting has begun. Rain and cooler then normal temperatures have postponed harvest. First F.O.B. expected week of May 10, 2020. (U = unavailable)

Avocados

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH TEXAS 2019 CROP — Crossings (353-543-437) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading Fairly Slow. Prices Lower. Cartons 2 layer Hass 32-36s mostly 38.25-40.25, 40-48s mostly 38.25-40.25, 60s mostly 36.25-38.25, 70s mostly 27.25-29.25, 84s mostly 21.25-22.25. Extra services included.

SOUTH DISTRICT CALIFORNIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (112-140-U) — Movement expected to increase. Trading Fairly Slow. Prices 60-84s lower, others generally unchanged. Carton 2 layer Hass 32-36s mostly 44.25-46.25, 40-48s mostly 42.25-44.25, 60s mostly 39.25-41.25, 70s mostly 29.25-30.25, 84s mostly 22.25-23.25. Carton 2 layer Hass ORGANIC 48s mostly 58.25-60.25, 60s mostly 56.25-58.25, 70s mostly 42.25-45.25. Extra services included. (U = unavailable)

Blueberries

SOUTH GEORGIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (17-38-52) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading Fairly Active. Prices Higher. Flats 12 1-pint cups with lids large 20.00-22.00, ORGANIC 12 1-pint cups with lids medium large 25.00-28.00, 6 ounce cups with lids medium-large 14.00-18.50. Quality variable.

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS — Crossings (56-53*-48) — Movement expected to decrease. Trading early moderate, late slow. Prices Generally Unchanged. Flats 12 6-oz cups with lids mostly 10.00. Quality and condition variable. (* revised)

SOUTH AND CENTRAL DISTRICT CALIFORNIA — Shipments (12-18-27) — Movement expected to increase seasonally. Trading Slow. Flats 12 1- pint cups with lids 18.00-28.00 mostly 22.00-24.00 occasional higher flats 12 6-ounce cups with lids 10.00-16.00 mostly 12.00-14.00 occasional higher. ORGANIC flats 12 6-ounce cups with lids 12.00-16.00 mostly 14.00-16.00 few 10.00 occasional higher.

CENTRAL AND NORTH FLORIDA 2020 CROP — Shipments (33-18-14) — Movement expected to decrease sharply as nearly all growers have finished for the season. Expect very light — Shipments for 1-2 more weeks. LAST REPORT

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA — Light harvest expected during the current trade week (May 03-09, 2020). Currently, no F.O.B. is being issued. FIRST REPORT.

Cherries

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CALIFORNIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (0-0-47) — Movement expected to increase. Harvesting has begun in the Southern portion of the district. First F.o.b expected to begin on or around May 7th.

Grapes

CHILE IMPORTS — PORT OF ENTRY PHILADELPHIA AREA 2020 CROP Imports via Boat — (44-205-38) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Trading White Seedless Type Moderate, others Slow. Prices Generally Unchanged. 18 lb containers bagged Red Seedless exlge 16.00-18.00, lge 14.00- 16.00, med 12.00-14.00 Black Seedless exlge mostly 16.00, lge 14.00-16.00, med-lge mostly 12.00-14.00 Red Globe jbo mostly 16.00, exlge 14.00-16.00, lge 12.00-14.00 SPECIAL STORAGE White Seedless Type exlge 34.00-36.00, lge mostly 32.00-34.00, med-lge mostly 28.00-30.00.

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH NOGALES ARIZONA — Crossings (6-13-31) — Movement from Jalisco expected to increase slightly. Harvest in Hermosillo is expected to begin the week of May 2. The Hermosillo Grape Growers Association estimates the 2020 crop at 19.7 million 18 -pound cartons, down 20 percent from 23.6 million in 2019. Harvest of White, Red and Black varieties expected to begin the week May 3 from Sonora, Mexico. Quality generally good. The first F.O.B report is expected to be issued the week of May 10, when most shippers expect to be fully underway.

CHILE IMPORTS — PORT OF ENTRY LOS ANGELES AREA 2020 CROP Imports via Boat — (13-29-23) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Trading White Seedless Type Moderate, others Slow. Prices Red Seedless Slightly Lower, others Generally Unchanged. 18 lb containers bagged Red Seedless exlge mostly 16.00, lge 14.00- 16.00, med-lge 12.00-14.00 Black Seedless exlge mostly 16.00, lge 14.00- 16.00, med-lge mostly 12.00-14.00 Red Globe jbo mostly 16.00, exlge 14.00-16.00, lge 12.00-14.00 SPECIAL STORAGE White Seedless Type exlge mostly 34.00-36.00, lge mostly 32.00-34.00, med-lge mostly 30.00-32.00.

COACHELLA VALLEY CALIFORNIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (0-0-0) — Movement expected to increase seasonally. Light harvesting is expected to get underway the week of May 11th. F.O.B. expected to begin on or around May 18th. FIRST REPORT

Lemons

SOUTH AND CENTRAL DISTRICT CALIFORNIA — Shipments Moderate — Movement expected about the same. Trading Moderate. Prices Shippers First Grade 75-115s and 165s slightly higher, others generally unchanged. 7/10 bushel cartons Shippers First Grade 75s mostly 24.18-26.20, 95-115s mostly 25.18-28.20, 140s mostly 24.18-27.20, 165s mostly 24.18-26.20, 200s mostly 23.18-26.20, 235s mostly 19.18-22.20; Shippers Choice 75s mostly 16.18-19.20, 95s mostly 17.10-20.20, 115s mostly 18.18-20.20, 140s mostly 19.18-23.20, 165s mostly 21.18-24.20, 200s mostly 20.10-24.20, 235s mostly 18.18-21.20. ORGANIC 7/10 bushel Shippers First Grade 75s mostly 28.18- 32.20, 95-115s mostly 37.18-42.20, 140s mostly 37.18-41.20; Shippers Choice 95-115s mostly 22.18-26.20, 140s mostly 24.18-30.20.

Oranges

FLORIDA — Shipments (85-96-84, Includes exports 2-3-2) — Prices not reported. — Shipments are for weeks ending April 4, April 11 and April 18 in that order.

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH NOGALES ARIZONA — Crossings (12-15-17) — Movement expected about the same. Trading Active. Prices Slightly Higher. 7/10 bushel cartons Valencia No Grade Marks 72-88s mostly 13.95-15.95, 113s 13.95-15.95, 138s 13.95-14.95. Quality variable.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL DISTRICT CALIFORNIA — Shipments 113-138s Fairly Light, others Moderate — Movement expected about the same. Trading Active. Prices First Grade 40s and 113s generally unchanged, others slightly higher. 7/10 bushel cartons Navel Shippers First Grade 40s mostly 17.18-19.20, 48-56s mostly 19.18-20.20, 72s mostly 17.18-20.20, 88-138s mostly 17.18-19.20; Shippers Choice 40s mostly 13.20-14.20, 48-72s mostly 14.18-15.20, 88s 14.18-16.50, 113s mostly 15.18-16.20, 138s mostly 14.18-16.20. ORGANIC 7/10 bushel cartons Navel Shippers First Grade 48-72s mostly 26.18-32.20, 88s 24.18-28.20, 113s mostly 24.18-28.20; Shippers Choice 56s mostly 18.18-22.20, 72-88s mostly 16.18-22.20.

Peaches

CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CALIFORNIA 2020 CROP — Shipments (U-U-U) — Light and sporadic has harvesting has begun. Rain and cooler then normal temperatures have postponed harvest. First F.O.B. expected week of May 10, 2020. (U = unavailable)

Strawberries

SANTA MARIA DISTRICT — Shipments (218-286-352) — Movement expected to increase. Trading Conventional active, Organic moderate. Prices Higher. Flats 8 1-pound containers with lids medium-large mostly 8.00-10.00. ORGANIC Flats 1-pound containers with lids medium-large mostly 10.00-12.00. Quality and condition variable. Most present — Shipments from prior bookings and/or previous commitments.

OXNARD DISTRICT CALIFORNIA — Shipments (224-240-198) — Movement expected to decrease. Trading Moderate. Prices Unchanged. Flats 8 1-pound containers with lids small-medium mostly 8.00. Quality and condition variable. Most present — Shipments from prior bookings and/or previous commitments. Some berries being diverted to to freezer and/or processor.

SALINAS-WATSONVILLE CALIFORNIA — Shipments (37-82-168) — Movement expected to increase. Trading Conventional active, Organic moderate. Prices Higher. Flats 8 1-lb containers with lids large-extra large mostly 9.00-10.00. Quality variable. ORGANIC flats 8 1-pound containers with lids large-extra large mostly 10.00-12.00.

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH OTAY MESA CALIFORNIA — Crossings (43-33-22) — Movement expected to decrease sharply. Supplies in too few hands to establish a market. Quality and condition variable. Some berries being diverted to freezer and/or processor. Light and sporadic — Crossings expected to continue through May 9. LAST REPORT.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA — Shipments (5-6-6) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading Moderate. Prices Generally Unchanged. Flats 8 1-pound containers with lids large 12.00-14.50. Includes palletizing and cooling.

Watermelons

FLORIDA SOUTH DISTRICT — Shipments (381-537-733, Seeded 46-54-56; Seedless 335-483-677) —Movement expected to increase. Trading Red Flesh Seedless 60s Very Active, Others Active. Prices Red Flesh Seedless 36s and 45s Slightly Lower, Others Generally Unchanged. 24 inch bins. Red Flesh Seeded type 35s mostly 105.00; Seedless type 36s 126.00-133.00, 45s mostly 147.00, 60s mostly 147.00. Quality generally good.

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH NOGALES ARIZONA — Crossings (318-408*-558) — Movement expected about the same. Trading Active. Prices Miniature 6s and 11s generally unchanged, others slightly higher. Red Flesh Seedless type 24 inch bins approximately 35-45 counts mostly 140.00-147.00, approximately 60 count mostly 133.00; Miniature (supplies light) cartons 6s 10.95-12.95, 8s mostly 13.95, 9s mostly 12.95-13.95, 11s 8.95-9.95. Quality variable. (* revised)

MEXICO — CROSSINGS THROUGH TEXAS — Crossings (111-100-43) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Trading Fairly Slow. Prices Generally Unchanged. Red Flesh Seedless type 24 inch bins per pound approximately 35 and 45 counts mostly .17-.18. Quality variable.

LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS — Shipments (5*-13-8) — Movement expected to increase seasonally. Supplies insufficient and in too few hands to establish a market. Quality generally good. The first F.O.B. report is expected to be issued the week of May 10. (* revised)

CENTRAL AND WESTERN ARIZONA — Harvest expected to begin in Western Arizona the week of May 10, followed by Central Arizona the week of May 17. Quality expected to be generally good.

IMPERIAL AND COACHELLA VALLEYS CALIFORNIA — Harvest expected to begin the week of May 3. Quality expected to be generally good.

Growers expecting strong crop of pomegranates

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:45:53 GMT

During what seems to be shaping up as a downer of a year, there may be a bright spot in the upcoming California pomegranate season.

A preliminary estimate from the Sonoma, Calif.-based Pomegranate Council indicates that the state’s pomegranate growers will produce about 6 million to 6.5 million 25-pound box equivalents of the fruit this season.

The 2019 season was one most growers would like to forget. Volume was off by about 20% compared to normal, said Tom Tjerandsen, manager of the Pomegranate Council.

“Last year was a very difficult year,” said Ray England, vice president of marketing for DJ Forry Co., Pismo Beach, Calif.

“It was a challenging year to get the right fruit in the boxes,” he said.

He blamed light rain followed by high temperatures for creating the adverse scenario.

When rain comes just prior to harvest and the fruit has not been hydrated appropriately, he said, “Those trees will suck up the water, and the fruit can crack.”

The fruit is useless when that happens and can’t even be used for juice.

“It was a tough year,” he said.

But this year is looking more normal.

“Right now, we don’t see any overriding issues,” England said in early September.

But unusually high temperatures — well over 100 degrees — had engulfed the growing area.

“There have been some hot, hot days,” he said.

Hot weather will not harm the fruit and may actually be beneficial for the pomegranates and increase their color, Tjerandsen said.

But the fruit also needs cooler temperatures at night to further bring on the color and flavor.

Fresno, Calif.-based Crown Jewels Produce Co. LLC expected to begin harvesting its early foothill variety Sept. 14 or 15, said salesman Stephen Thomason.

The company’s early wonderful pomegranates were expected to start the last week of September.

“Right now, everything is looking really good as far as the size of the fruit and the size of the crop,” he said in early September. “The appearance is very clean.”

At Los Angeles-based Pom Wonderful , Charlotte Mostaed, director of marketing, said the quality of the company’s fruit this season should be “excellent.”

From March through July, Pom Wonderful experienced a 19% rise in dollar sales in the grocery channel, she said.

The company offers its pomegranates in eye-catching display bins, in the form of convenient Pom Poms arils and in the portfolio of Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juices, Mostaed said.

The company has made a concerted effort in the past two years to improve the quality of its Pom Poms arils for the consumer and reduce shrink for customers, she said.

“We have made significant technology investments in our Pom Poms processing line to keep our arils fresher and more intact as they are extracted in our completely automated process.”

Pom Poms also will invest $1 million in marketing in 2020 to showcase the product’s taste and versatility.

The effort will include its largest-ever digital marketing campaign.

Trinity Fruit Sales Co. Inc. , Fresno, Calif., also expects a strong season.

“Retailers are doing great this year,” said Levon Ganajian, vice president of retail relations.

“People aren’t going to restaurants or on vacation,” he said. “They’re staying home and they’re shopping.”

Ganajian said he expects increased demand during the early deal this season, but the company will have more product available to fill that demand.

Trinity Fruit’s early program was expected to start the week of Sept. 7, mostly with its proprietary varieties.

The company has the U.S. rights to the Emik and Aco pomegranate varieties from Israel.

The mainstay wonderful variety will start in October with a higher packout and more volume than last year, he said.

“The demand has just gone crazy,” Ganajian said, and orders should keep up with supplies.

DJ Forry Co. was in production with its own proprietary Rubilee pomegranates in late August, England said.

The Rubilee typically peaks on 30-count size.

“It’s not the biggest piece of fruit, but it does have really nice-looking arils, and the fruit overall has a real dark-red color,” he said.

The company will kick off its proprietary Smith variety and early wonderful variety the second week of September.

Sizing of those varieties is somewhat larger than the Rubilee with many 22s, 24s and 26s.

It was too early to know for sure when the main wonderful crop will start, but England said the usual start date is around Oct. 10.

Wonderful pomegranates account for about 70% of California’s pomegranate crop, Tjerandsen said.

Related Content:

Pomegranate volume back to normal

2020 pomegranate purchase statistics

Pom Wonderful pomegranate campaign covers arils, juice, fruit

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:34:59 GMT

Pom Wonderful , Los Angeles, is launching its largest digital campaign for pomegranates , pomegranate juice and arils.

It’s the first digital campaign for the branded Pom Poms Fresh Pomegranate Arils, according to a news release, and part of a marketing investment of more than $1 million.

Two new campaigns focus on the convenience and healthfulness of the arils. The “Anytime, Anywhere, Antioxidants” campaign shows animated cups of arils making even mundane tasks exciting. The second ad, “Gooooooo Antioxidants!” focus on arils becoming a personal cheerleading squad, promoting healthy choices throughout the day.

“Pom Poms are the perfect fun, healthy snack and they’re known for antioxidants, which is what we wanted to embody with this campaign,” Charlotte Mostaed, director of marketing, said in the release. “Our animated Pom Poms cheerleaders encourage healthy eating habits and Anytime, Anywhere Antioxidant arils are your best friend and a great way to get antioxidants throughout the day.”

Pom Wonderful is launching an epicurean campaign on Pinterest, featuring four Pom Poms arils recipes that add “a brilliant ruby red pop of color and a sweet burst of flavor just in time for the holidays,” according to the release.

The Wonderful Co.’s in-house creative team, Wonderful Agency, created the campaign, which features digital ads on Facebook and Instagram, and shopper marketing, consumer public relations, point-of-sale materials and a November free-standing insert.

Almonds supplant grapes as 2019 top Kern County, Calif., crop

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:14 GMT

The values of Kern County’s top two crops in 2019 switched, with the almond crop higher than the value of its grape crop for the first time since 2011.

That includes almond by-products, and table grapes and raising and processing grapes, according to the Kern County Agriculture Commissioner’s Annual Report , published online Sept. 21. Without almond by-products and non-table grape varieties, the value of almonds still tops grapes, at $1.6 billion to $1.24 billion, according to the report.

The leading crops by sales value in Kern County, and their 2018 rankings, are:

Almonds: including by-products, $1.64 billion, 2;
Grapes : $1.43 billion, 1;
Citrus , fresh and processing: $997.79 million, 4;
Pistachios: $866.7 million, 3;
Milk, market and manufacturing: $570.41 million; 5;
Carrots , fresh and processing: $336.15 million, 6;
Cattle and calves: $269.64 million, 7;
Alfalfa: $140.72 million, 8;
Pomegranates , fresh and processing: $122.1 million, 14;
Apiary: $107.23 million, 9.

Other specialty crops rounding out the top 20 in 2019 were potatoes (11), fresh and processed garlic (13), blueberries (17), onions (18) and fresh and processed tomatoes (20).

Bearing acreage of the almond crop rose 3,000 acres from 2018 to 2019, to 226,000 acres, and bearing table grape acreage dropped 2,300 acres, to 60,400 acres, according to the report.

The overall value of all Kern County agricultural commodities in 2019 was $7.62 billion, a 2% increase from the previous year, according to the report.

The rankings and crop values don’t mean growers of those commodities saw greater or lower returns in 2019.

“The figures in this report represent only gross values and do not take into account the costs of production, marketing, transportation or other ancillary costs,” according to a letter from Kern County Commissioner Glenn Frankauser in the report. “No attempt is made to reflect net income or loss to the producers of these commodities.”

Related story:

COVID-19 adds to Kern County produce suppliers’ concerns

The Wonderful Co. offers $1 million for pomegranate waste solution

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:31 GMT

The Wonderful Co. , Los Angeles, is offering up to $1 million for a solution to the 50,000 tons of pomegranate husks generated each year for the production of Pom Wonderful juice.

ReFED, a nonprofit working to end food loss and waste, is an advisor and managing partner for the challenge, according to a news release.
Dubbed the Wonderful Innovation Challenge, the program offers up to $1 million in funding and development resources for environmentally friendly solutions to the rind, pith and seeds left from the juicing process.

“The Wonderful Innovation Challenge was born out of our mission to continually push the boundaries of sustainability by embracing bold, innovative ideas,” Steve Swartz, vice president of strategy at The Wonderful Co., said in the release. “This competition will provide a select group of winners the resources they need to grow their business, make a positive impact, and help us fulfill our environmental mission.”

Registration is open through Dec. 7 to apply for the program, which has four review stages:

Submission of a short application with a proposal;
Qualified applicants will submit a detailed plan;
Semi-finalists will participate in a virtual interview; and
Finalists will pitch their solutions virtually to judges.

The finalist will compete for the $1 million award pool and request the amount needed for their proposal, according to the news release.

The competition will generate ideas for the company to help it solve other sustainability issues, according to the release.

“Innovation can play a critical role in driving efficiency and value, as well as in addressing environmental challenges,” Alexandria Coari, director of capital and innovation at ReFED, said in the release. “The Wonderful Innovation Challenge is a call for inventive solutions that can create value from this byproduct.”

The Wonderful Co. has invested more than $1 billion in environmental sustainability and climate change projects, including $400 million in water-efficient irrigation, cutting energy use and $60 million in solar energy projects.

A year ago, The Wonderful Co. owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick pledged $750 million to Caltech to support its environmental sustainability research

Related news:

The Wonderful Co. owners pledge $750 million for sustainability

Wonderful Co. supports students, farm workers via COVID-19 fund

POM Wonderful enjoys sales lift during pandemic

Pom Wonderful pomegranates, arils, juice see sales growth

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 18:32:12 GMT

As consumers continue to look for functional benefits in their food and beverage choices, POM Wonderful, the leader in fresh pomegranates, is seeing record demand during the 2020 California season.

Known for its antioxidant goodness, and coming off the heels of POM Wonderful’s largest digital campaign for POM POMS Fresh Pomegranate Arils, POM Wonderful’s leadership has helped drive category growth - with fresh pomegranate sales at their highest in over SIX years:

POM Wonderful remains the #1 fresh pomegranate brand in total sales and brand awareness.
POM POMS Fresh Pomegranate Arils sales are up 34% compared to prior years.
Fresh pomegranate sales in November were up 10% compared to prior years.
Fresh pomegranate sales are at their highest since 2013.
Fresh pomegranate sales the second and third week of November (11/9-11/22) were the highest weeks recorded for fresh pomegranate sales ever during November in the U.S.
POM Wonderful’s investments in shopper marketing, POS items, digital ads on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, along with a November FSI and new “antioxidant superpower” display bins continue to drive impulse purchases in-store and online.

We are also excited to announce that POM POMS will continue to ship into February, extending the fresh pomegranate season this year!

What a 'Wonderful' year

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:14:59 GMT

Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Co. LLC experienced its best year ever in 2018 with dollar sales up 6% versus the previous year, said Charlotte Mostaed, director of marketing.

“We are the only brand in the category that offers three different ways to enjoy the antioxidant goodness of pomegranates,” she said – whole, fresh pomegranates , Pom Poms arils and Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juices.

The company is supporting the category with a multi-million-dollar marketing campaign that includes TV, print, digital media, influencer programs, retailer ads, in-store materials, more than 300 million coupons in Sunday circulars and a team of more than 300 merchandisers visiting stores every day, she said.

Simonian adds pomegranate bin options

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:19:33 GMT

Bulk bins of pomegranates have been a popular offering from Simonian Fruit Co ., Fowler, Calif., for quite a while, said Jeff Simonian, sales manager. But this year the company is adding more options.

The company will have bins made to accommodate eight boxes and 14 boxes.

Bins are an effective merchandising tool, Simonian said.

“They really draw attention to the fruit.”

Simonian’s bins also are educational, since they have nutrition information on the side, along with instructions that tell consumers how to open pomegranates.

Flavor Tree automates pomegranate arils process

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:15:03 GMT

Flavor Tree Fruit Co., Hanford, Calif., marketing agent for pomegranates and pomegranate products from Wasco, Calif.-based SunnyGem LLC, has changed out some equipment at its arils facility in nearby Bottonwillow, increasing automation and making the process less dependent on manual labor, said Flavor Tree president Maurice Cameron.

The change is expected to increase efficiency and boost processing capacity by 200%.

“It was a slow process before,” he said.

The new system also should allow for more competitive pricing, he said.

Trinity Fruit expands plantings

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:19:33 GMT

Although pomegranate volume is expected to be down industrywide this season compared to last year, movement should be up about 5% at Fresno, Calif.-based Trinity Fruit Sales Co. Inc. because of new plantings, said Levon Ganajian, director of retail relations.

Picking was scheduled to start the first week of September with the company’s proprietary Aco variety, he said.

Aco, a sub-acid pomegranate that originated in Israel, is a better variety than the other early options, like foothill, he said.

“For the early deal, it works real well for us,” Ganajian said.

Trinity Fruit should have full truckload volume of its proprietary product during September.

“If companies are looking for an incremental sales opportunity, it’s a great variety,” he said.

The company also has expanded its production lines this season, Ganajian said.

Besides fresh pomegranates, Trinity Fruit has a year-round program for arils.

“It’s been very successful for us,” he said.

The company offers fresh, dried and frozen arils.

Pomegranate supplies to drop again

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:11:50 GMT

California’s pomegranate crop is expected to be down again this year, but growers say ample promotable volume should be available.

There was an “inopportune freeze” early this year, said Tom Tjerandson, manager of the Sonoma, Calif.-based Pomegranate Council.

“The overall volume probably is going to be off about 15%,” he said.

But he added that there still will be “a pretty significant harvest.”

The state’s growers usually produce about 6 million 25-pound-box equivalents, he said.

This year, that total likely will range from 5 million to 5.5 million boxes.

Adam Cooper, vice president of marketing for Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Co ., said the company should have plenty of pomegranates to support its retailer programs.

He expects a successful season despite tighter supplies and higher input costs for labor, transportation and water.

“We think there is still going to be stronger demand, even at a higher price,” he said.

“The most important news is that the interior of the fruit is looking very good,” Cooper said.

We think there is still going to be stronger demand, even at a higher price.

Crown Jewels Produce Co. LLC , Fresno, Calif., started its pomegranate harvest the second week of September, said salesman Jeff Kramm.

“The color on the early foothills (variety) has been good,” he said Sept. 5.

He expected harvest of the wonderful variety to start Oct. 5-10 for Crown Jewels, a week to 10 days later than last year.

The early deal for Trinity Fruit Sales Co. Inc ., Fresno, will be “way, way up” this season, said Levon Ganajian, director of retail relations.

But he said volume of wonderfuls likely will be less than anticipated.

Ganajian was concerned about the effect higher prices might have on the market.

“I expect prices will be higher than last year,” he said.

If growers overprice their fruit, sales might stall, he said.

“As long as the marketers are smart about it and don’t go to too crazy, we will able to move the crop,” Ganajian said.

“We have to find a happy medium.”

Supplies have gotten tighter over the past three years because some growers have been bulldozing trees, said Ray England, vice president of marketing for DJ Forry Co. Inc. , Pismo Beach, Calif.

“We’re seeing, generally speaking, fewer cartons of pomegranates in the marketplace,” he said.

He attributed the cutbacks to an oversupply that started around 2000 when retailers began building massive displays and growers added trees to meet a growing demand for juice.

But that demand started to wane, he said.

We’re seeing, generally speaking, fewer cartons of pomegranates in the marketplace.

“There are fewer cartons because the returns, whether for juice, arils or fresh market, get tougher and tougher each year with increased costs.”

He estimated that costs are up 35% compared to five years ago.

But sales manager Jeff Simonian said Simonian Fruit Co ., Fowler, Calif., plans to maintain the same prices as last year.

“We’re not going to try to push things up,” Simonian said.

Pomegranates already are an expensive item, he said.

The company expected to start harvesting around the third week of September and should have pomegranates until January or December.

Sizing, color and overall quality should be good, he said Sept. 5.

Although the U.S. ranks third in pomegranate production, the top two producers — China and India — sell most of their fruit domestically, leaving much of the export market to the U.S., Tjerandson said.

The U.S. exports 30% to 40% of its crop to places like Canada, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and to the rapidly growing New Zealand market, he said.

Every country has limits to what can and can’t come in, DJ Forry’s England said.

Securing phytosanitary clearances can be a challenge.

“It’s always a battle,” he said. “It seems to be more of a battle each year.”

DJ Forry exports 15% to 30% each year and is “off to a good start this year,” England said.

Sun Belle promotes organic and biodynamic certified berries

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:17:41 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Schiller Park, Ill.-based Sun Belle is promoting organic and biodynamic cranberries and blueberries this fall, along with a wide variety of other berry offerings.

At the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit, the company highlighted blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, golden berries, cranberries and pomegranate arils, said Janice Honigberg, president of Sun Belle.

Sun Belle is offering Green Belle label organic and biodynamic blueberries and cranberries, she said. Biodynamic agriculture is a holistic system of growing, taking into account treatment of the soil and the land, she said.

Organic and biodynamic Green Belle label blueberries have already started from Chile and will continue until February, and the company will also pull supplies from another grower further south in Chile to extend the season even further.

Shipments are arriving by air now but will be shipped by ocean vessel when volumes increase, Honigberg said.

“There are so many people that are getting interested in sustainable agriculture and this is the next step,” she said.

Sun Belle also offers organic and biodynamic Green Belle label cranberries from northern Wisconsin.

Some retailers like to feature organic cranberries instead of conventional cranberries, she said. Availability will extend until close to Christmas, she said.

Berry options

Honigberg said Sun Belle’s line includes organic options in blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in consumer pack sizes of 6-ounce and 18-ounce options. Sun Belle is also offering jumbo-sized blueberries from Peru in 9.8-ounce clamshells.

South American golden berries, first introduced about five years ago, are finding growing demand in the U.S. and Canada with 6-ounce and 12-ounce consumer packs offered, she said.

Sun Belle is marketing air-shipped organic Peruvian pomegranate arils to the U.S. market from February through August.

“We’ll be using a pulse light sanitation system instead of a water-based bath, which should really keep (the arils) dry and fresh,” she said.

The arils will have a shelf life of about 23 days, with direct flights expected into Chicago, Miami and Maryland, she said.

“We really try to shorten the transport life keep the fruit real fresh,” Honigberg said.

Staff additions

Sun Belle has added industry veteran Paul Stumpfig to its sales team in its Jessup, Md., office. Honigberg said Stumpfig brings 28 years of experience in national sales. The company also has added to its logistics staff in Chicago and added two employees in Mexico, she said. Sun Belle has brought on Victoria Hernandez in Mexico to coordinate shipments and programs and Myra Ramirez as a food safety certification and quality control official.

Supermarkets scale back produce ads during COVID-19 lockdown

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:38:31 GMT

In the continuing market disruption related to the COVID-19, supermarkets are not running their typical amount of weekly promotions for fruits and vegetables.

In the latest April 10 National Retail Report for Specialty Crops , the USDA reported:

“This week saw a slight increase in ads, likely due to Easter promotions and perhaps to an improvement of supply chain kinks. Recently instated policies such as quantity limits, no rainchecks, and social distancing requirements were still in effect with no sign of returning to normal.

Total ad numbers this week were 208,333, a 3% increase from last week’s 202,735, and an 8% decrease from 2 weeks ago. Seventeen percent of regularly reported stores had no ad this week and specifically cited COVID-19 as the reason.

The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 99,348 (48% of all ads), onions and potatoes 9,658 (5%), vegetables 85,007 (41%), herbs 259, and ornamentals 14,061 (7%). The number of ads for organic produce was 11,985, 6% of total ads. The number of ads for hemp were 282.”

Hemp, huh? In the April 12 report from a year ago, the USDA commentary read:

“With Easter and Passover just days away, produce aisles abounded with everything shoppers needed for holiday celebrations. Spring favorites such as cantaloupe, watermelon, asparagus, corn, yellow squash, and strawberries were readily available. Staples for holiday meals were showcased heavily, including apples, grapes, pineapples, raspberries, avocados, green beans, carrots, corn, mushrooms, sweet potatoes and roma tomatoes.

Floral departments were decked out in Easter lilies, daffodils, and tulips. Most retailers featured a special section for Easter candy, decorations, and bakery items.

Total ad numbers this week were 369,234, about steady from last weeks 371,577.

The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 139,379 (46% of all ads), onions and potatoes 31,746 (9%), vegetables 157,093 (43%), herbs 1,199, and ornamentals 9,817 (3%). The number of ads for organic produce was 50,685, 14% of total ads.”

TK: Comparing the April 10 report this year to the April 12 report last year, total ad numbers in 2020 were a whopping 44% lower.

Here are further comparisons that speak to the importance of individual commodities compared with the whole pie:

This year, the percentage of fruit on ad (as a percent of total fruit) on April 10, compared with the same week last year:

Apples: 16%, compared with 15% last year;
Blueberries: 6%, compared with 5% last year;
Cantaloupes: 5%, compared with 4% last year;
Grapes: 12%, compared with 8% last year;
Misc Berries: 7%, no change from last year;
Oranges: 8%, no change from last year;
Pineapples: 10%, compared with 6% last year;
Strawberries: 8%, compared with 6% last year;

For vegetables, here are the percentages of individual vegetables on ad (as a percent of vegetables on ad), compared with the same week a year ago:

Asparagus: 14%, no data a year ago;
Beans: 4%, compared with 3% last year;
Carrots: 7%, compared with 8% last year;
Celery: 4%, no data a year ago;
Corn-Sweet: 6%, no data a year ago;
Onions: 5%, compared with 6% last year;
Bell peppers: 8%, no change compared with a year ago;
Potatoes: 5%, compared with 11% last year;
Salad: 7%, compared with 6% lat year;
Sweet Potatoes: 8%, no data a year ago.

TK: With retailers experiencing a new baseline of demand with the contraction of foodservice, the normal beat of supermarket produce promotions has changed.

I find it interesting that 2020 promotions of asparagus are way up compared with a year ago, however. Why is that? It could be that retailers did not feel the need to promote potatoes (or other hardware veggies) since they have been flying off shelves, and that asparagus simply seemed to make sense as a seasonally strong option that could pull consumers in the store. Give a gold medal to asparagus marketers to garner that much retail attention.

Packer COVID-19 Updates

StePac designs shelf life extending liners for pomegranates

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:23:00 GMT

StePac , Tefen, Israel, has new bin liners designed to extend the storage life of fresh pomegranates .

The company’s products can help growers seeking management solutions during a glut in the crop, allowing them to store the fruit longer while market conditions improve, according to a news release.

“In spite of their tough exterior, whole fresh pomegranates host a range of challenges that arise with prolonged storage,” according to the release. “In the absence of proper protection, the fruit can suffer significant dehydration and weight loss, causing it to shrivel.”

Whole pomegranates, in 400-kilogram (about 900 pounds) bins with StePac Xtend liners, can be stored for three months or longer, according to the release. The company also has liners for single carton use.

“StePac developed film structures containing a unique sealing layer that facilitates leaner packaging and induces savings of up to 40% in material use as well as reduced labor costs, by enabling pomegranates to be flow-packed in both bulk and retail formats,” according to the release.

StePac recently developed recyclable Xgo lidding films and stand-up pouches for retail packaging options. Xgo inhibits microbial decay and extend pomegranate aril shelf life up to 17 days. The film is available in easy peel and resealable formats, according to the release.

“The global reach of our technology is instrumental in addressing the challenges facing the pomegranate industry and for ensuring that both the whole fruit and the extracted arils reach the consumers— wherever they might be — in prime condition, while keeping waste to a minimum,” Gary Ward, business development manager, said in the release.

Related stories:

StePac releases sustainability strategy for produce packaging

Sustainability trend boosts StePac films in U.S.

StePac’s Xtend Iceless packaging shifts from traditional method

Coosemans has gourmet food box

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

Coosemans -Denver is offering Gourmet Premium Food Boxes that Garrick Macek, vice president of operations, expects will become more and more popular as consumers cope with COVID-19.

The company already is selling some, but Macek is in the process of interviewing marketing companies to help promote the boxes and turn the program into a new revenue stream.

For about $30, a consumer can pick up a box of about 10 pounds of gourmet items like Belgian endive, fingerling potatoes, pomegranates, baby heirloom tomatoes and baby beets with tops.

Related content:
Denver produce distributors deal with coronavirus
Colorado gears up for summer
Colorado fruit growers forecast good season

Citrus rules PMG's top 20

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:34:36 GMT

Citrus surged in interest during the last few days of December, taking six of the top 20 spots. Pummelos came in at No. 1 the week of Dec. 28, and oranges took No. 2. Lettuce came in at No. 3, and cabbage was No. 4. Specialty Seville oranges completed the top 5.

The PMG platform connects produce buyers and sellers. Below, find the top 20 searched commodities on PMG during the week of Dec. 28.

Specialty manzano bananas came in at No. 6, and navel oranges took No. 7. Mandarins and tangerines were No. 8, while mushrooms took No. 9. Dragon fruit was No. 10.

Cucumbers took the No. 11 spot, and avocados came in at No. 12. Potatoes were No. 13, and pomegranates were No. 14. Lemons completed the top 15.

Apples carried the No. 16 spot, while Asian specialty winter melon came in at No. 17. Burro bananas were No. 18, and chili peppers were No. 19. Bell peppers rounded out the top 20.

Avocados take No. 1 on PMG

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:34:42 GMT

Avocados bounced from No. 7 the week of Nov. 30 to take the lead spot on PMG the week of Nov. 7. Oranges maintained their No. 2 rank, while organic pears slipped two places to No. 3, bumping lettuce to No. 4. Carrots held on to the No. 5 spot.

The PMG platform connects produce buyers and sellers. Below, find the top 20 searched commodities on PMG during the week of Dec. 7.

Mandarins moved up to No. 6 from No. 12 the previous week, and cucumbers climbed to No. 7 from No. 14 the week before. Mangoes moved up to No. 8 from No. 15 previously, and pummelos slipped a spot to No. 9. Mushrooms held on at No. 10.

Last week’s top 20: Citrus interest big on PMG

Apples gained a couple of spots to land at No. 11, and bell beppers rejoined the list at No. 12. Pomegranates also reappeared, at No. 13, and specialty burro bananas came back to the list at No. 14. Navel oranges gained four places from the week before to complete the top 15.

Seville oranges also gained four spots from the previous week, landing at No. 16, and sweet potatoes fell to No. 17 from No. 11 the week before. Beets made a comeback at No. 18, and lemons fell to No. 19 from No. 4 the previous week. Manzano bananas completed the top 20.

Strawberries catch eyes on PMG

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:34:33 GMT

Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3. Apples jumped to No. 4 from No. 16 the previous week, and navel oranges moved up two spots to complete the top 5.

The PMG platform connects produce buyers and sellers. Below, find the top 20 searched commodities on PMG during the week of Jan. 4.

Mushrooms climbed to No. 6 from No. 9 the previous week, and bananas rejoined the list at No. 7. Cucumbers moved up to No. 8 from No. 11, and specialty manzano bananas fell three places to No. 9. Lettuce fell from No. 3 the week before to No. 10.

Citrus rules PMG’s top 20

Mandarins slipped from No. 8 to No. 11, while cabbage fell from No. 4 to No. 12. Specialty Seville oranges dropped to No. 13 from No. 5 the previous week, while bell peppers rose from No. 20 to No. 14. Chili peppers rose four spots from the week before to complete the top 15.

Potatoes fell from No. 13 to No. 16, and avocados slipped from No. 12 to No. 17. Pomegranates fell four places, to No. 18, and broccoli rejoined the list at No. 19. Limes also made a comeback, completing the top 20.

Sun Belle launches 2021 pomegranate arils program

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:01:53 GMT

Berry marketer Sun Belle Inc . has launched its 2021 Pomegranate Arils program with Green Belle organic and Sun Belle conventional 4.4-ounce cups packed by Agricola Los Medanos S.A. in Ica, Peru.

The arils are extracted from just-ripe pomegranates in Los Medanos’ ultra-clean facility using state of the art technology, including UV sanitation, immediately packed in retail cups with peel and resealable lids with a tamper proof outer ring seal, and air shipped to North America. Sun Belle insures freshness and longer shelf life through its 24/7 cold chain logistics operations. The pomegranate arils are the Wonderful variety, and are certified by GlobalG.A.P., SMETA, GRASP, BRC Food, Kosher, USDA Organic and HACCP. They are available from late March through August.

Sun Belle anticipates strong demand for arils, particularly as the TikTok phenomenon #naturescereal gains popularity among millions of viewers. “Nature’s Cereal” is a recipe that combines pomegranate arils, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries with coconut water as a healthy breakfast alternative. The arils are ruby sweet flavor pops which enliven meals and celebrations throughout the day – from the breakfast bowl to desserts, salads, savory dishes, and snacks to delicious beverages.

Janice Honigberg, president of Sun Belle Inc. kicked off this year’s program saying: “Pomegranates are among the world’s most ancient fruits, always sought after for their taste and beauty. The tiny red jewels are rich in vitamin C, K, B-6 and potassium. High in anti-oxidants and fiber but with a low-calorie count, pomegranate arils are a delicious ready-to-eat snack for health-conscious consumers. Sun Belle is pleased to offer such superb quality products through the spring and summer months.”

In addition to flats of 12 x 4.4. oz resealable organic and conventional cups, Sun Belle is distributing conventional arils in resealable 3 x 2 lb. bags and 6 x 1 lb. bags for food service, commissary, bakery and salad bar operations.

Sun Belle, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2021, was founded by Honigberg in Washington, DC and is the exclusive marketer of the Sun Belle and Green Belle brands. In addition to arils, introduced in 2018, Sun Belle markets and distributes conventional and organic blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries; certified biodynamic organic cranberries and blueberries; golden berries, Black Mission figs and red currants; and green house and specialty produce. Sun Belle operates distribution and sales centers in Jessup, Maryland; Miami, Florida; Schiller Park, Illinois; Oxnard, California; and Laredo, Texas.