Regional Markets

Why growers say it's all about location in Ohio

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:27:30 GMT

When it comes to the advantage Ohio growers have over other growing regions in the country, Chadd Buurma, president of Willard, Ohio-based Buurma Farms Inc., says it’s location, location, location.

“We’re overnight delivery or 24-hour delivery away from 70% of the U.S. population,” he said. “I can get an order from a customer in the morning, and it can be going to Atlanta or Tennessee or up to the Northeast ... I can go as far west as St. Louis and Wisconsin, and I can do that all overnight delivery.”

Less time in a truck also helps give Ohio-grown produce a little more shelf life.

“Nothing against the California or Mexican produce, but you’re not going to get from California to New York City in 12 hours, and I can do it,” Buurma said, adding that the shipping time saved makes the product a bit fresher when it reaches the store shelf.

It can grow here

Megan McMaster of McMaster Farms in Columbiana, Ohio, says Ohio growers can grow almost anything thanks to the rich diverse soils in the state. She says the soil profile in the Buckeye State helps boost her family’s sweet corn production.

“A lot of sweet corn varieties just grow well here versus other places,” she said. “The nutrients and how they’re different in the soil, I think is why ... Ohio corn is just good corn.”

Kirk Holthouse, co-owner and director of sales and purchasing for Willard-based Holthouse Farms of Ohio Inc. agrees. Holthouse Farms grows squash, bell peppers, chili peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, hard squash, sweet corn and cabbage.

“We have the right kind of climate, the right kind of soil and then we have a good amount of customers here in Ohio that are looking for those items, so it’s something that we feel we do pretty well,” he said. “When you’ve got a ready market with a makeup of retail, wholesale and foodservice right in your backyard — all within basically 150 or 200 miles — that’s a good setup for success. We really liked the fact that we can keep a good amount of produce within the state of Ohio.”

Got a market

Holthouse Farms works with retail, foodservice and wholesale customers, and different markets have different preferences for the farm’s crops, Holthouse says.

“The chain stores like the bigger peppers and the wholesalers like the large and the extra-large and then the foodservice community like the off-grades — the top and dice pepper, the suntan pepper, the red pepper,” he said.

Buurma Farms grows about 35 different crops for retailers, foodservice and wholesalers, and what Buurma says makes his family’s farm unique is the ability to offer so many different crops from one grower.

“That gives the customer — whether it’s a retailer, whether it’s a wholesaler, whether it’s foodservice — almost this expanded menu where they can look at what we have to offer, and they could order so many different items to help fill a truck, whether it be cabbage and corn to cucumbers, zucchini to lettuce to radishes, the green onions, any of the variety greens,” he said. “We’d like to think that we specialize in 35 different crops to make that menu so expanded that it makes it attractive to the customers.”

Buurma says working with wholesalers, too, helps the farm balance out if there’s an oversupply of a particular crop.

“There are always periods where you might be long on one particular crop, and you’re not going to get your retailers, your grocery stores to move a bunch of additional product,” he said. “That’s where you need that wholesaler to be able to step up and maybe help you out by moving on a little bit of glut of product.”

And with growing 35 crops, Buurma says the farm constantly evaluates its crop mix for the next season, with the help of feedback and requests from customers, and it has added to the crop mix over the years based on that feedback.

“We’ve added napa cabbage. We’ve added bok choy. Those were items we didn’t grow five years ago, and our customer said, ‘Let’s do that,’” he said.

McMaster Farms sells into distribution centers and to restaurants and retailers such as Marcs, Giant Eagle and Sparkles.

McMaster says her family’s farm originally transitioned from potatoes to sweet corn. The family tried growing tomatoes a few years ago but found it challenging to balance the demands of tomato production with growing sweet corn. She says her family has found a niche with sweet corn.

“I definitely feel the sweet corn market is still really good for Ohio,” she said. “I’m noticing more that everyone does want local. I feel like the market is still good so far with sweet corn. We’re holding on and, hopefully, that it’ll stay that way.”

High desert harvest: Potato producers readying for San Luis Valley crop

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:33:32 GMT

At an elevation of 7,600 feet, situated along the Rio Grande River and tucked between two mountains outlining the horizon — the San Juans and Sangre de Cristos — the second-largest fresh potato region in the U.S. is nestled in the southern heart of Colorado in an area called the San Luis Valley.

Boasting nearly 365 days of sunshine, the high desert growing region provides fertile ground for potato crops, with 150 growers calling the region home, according to the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee. As the first of the new crop harvest comes of the ground this fall, growers, shippers and distributors are taking stock.

Tater Traders , a family-run potato brokerage based in Golden, Colo., works closely with growers in the San Luis Valley. Operations Manager Morgan McCormick was enthusiastic about the season ramp up in the weeks ahead when she spoke with The Packer on Aug. 23.

“It’s always fun when we start to get busy and you get to start talking to the growers every day,” McCormick said. “I always get excited for that time of year.”

As the potato supply moves around the nation, she said she’s looking forward to when the harvest comes to Colorado, specifically the San Luis Valley, when she anticipates doing a lot of business with nearby growers.

Strong markets bode well at Colorado’s season kickoff

The current market for potatoes remains strong. Over the past year, U.S. retail dollar sales of potatoes increased double digits, growing 16.8% from July 2022 to June 2023, according to a recent Circana (IRI) report. The San Luis Valley has reaped the benefits of favorable market conditions in the lead up to the 2023 season.

“The period of the pandemic renewed consumers’ love affair with fresh potatoes and seems to have boosted consumption long term,” MountainKing Potatoes Director of Marketing Andreas Trettin told The Packer.

The potato distributor said that it’s been tracking preferences for fresh potatoes as they shift in assortment, variety and package size.

Related news: Peaches, onions and carrots thrive in Colorado

“The days of deep-discount, large bags of russet potatoes have given way to flavorful varieties, smaller packages and smaller-size potatoes,” Trettin said.

Underlining the sustained demand — and despite a slight decrease in volume — dollar sales for the overall potato category reached a new high-water mark in June 2023, totaling $16.9 billion for the 52-week period, the highest in five years, according to the Circana report.

Retail prices for potatoes increased by 19.9% for the full year. Despite this price jump and as evidenced by the strength of sales, potatoes remain affordable for consumers with an average price of $2.36 per pound, according to the report.

Les Alderete, general manager for Golden, Colo.-based grower Skyline Potato Co. , told The Packer that he’s bracing for a course-correction after a series of high-performing years.

“I’m hoping this year will still be a profitable year, but we’re coming off record highs the last couple years,” he said. “There’s got to be some kind of correction, and we’re seeing that now.”

He remains hopeful, citing decent sizing and increased acreage across the board.

“We’ll see how the year goes,” Alderete said. “In the other major areas, they’ve had strong yields where they’ve started harvesting and size profile has been good. So, we’ll have more potatoes this year than we’ve had the last couple of years.”

Eric Beck, director of marketing for Wada Farms , sees this year’s potato demand continuing to trend favorably.

“With steady pressure of inflation still prevalent in our economy, potatoes remain a value-based basket item for all consumer demographics,” Beck said.

The Idaho-based potato grower-shipper has built its Colorado footprint over the course of two decades and counting.

“Our Colorado network of growers play an intricate part to our potato program by offering efficient and cost-effective supply chain solutions to help the overall bottom line in all industry segments,” he said.

Poised for harvest

The steady demand for potatoes has positioned producers like Wada Farms for a strong season as they ready for an early fall harvest kickoff. While the grower-shipper boasts a year-round Colorado potato program, the new crop typically starts at the end of August. Looking at the weeks ahead, Beck is optimistic.

“From a quality perspective, the growing conditions were favorable, and we should see good quality coming out of the fields,” he said. “There should be good sizing profile ranging across the entire spectrum. Test digs and initial quality inspections are indicating good overall internal and external quality characteristics for the tubers, and we anticipate they should store well for the duration of the 2023-2024 season.”

This year, distributor MountainKing Potatoes has increased its acreage for yellow-flesh potato varieties along with baby golds and baby reds to meet strong demand, Trettin said.

“Due to beneficial weather, we are a little ahead of schedule for our harvest in September,” he said. “Test digs showed good sizing and we expect excellent quality.”

What’s more, timed alongside MountainKing Potatoes’ harvest in September, the distributor is rolling out its fall marketing plan that will include a social media campaign, product Kwik Loks (bag closures), store contests and a full POS merchandising program, Trettin said.

As the grower-shipper Tater Traders prepares for fall harvest in the San Luis Valley, freight is top of mind.

“It’ll be interesting to see the transportation side of things this year,” McCormick said. “It seems like this summer was the first time that there’s been a break in the craziness.”

Water remains a challenge

Water is another consideration for growers this time of year across the dry and sunny Southwest, including the San Luis Valley region.

“It seems that early [this year] in the San Luis Valley, there was quite a bit of water. Some of the recharge pits were the fullest that people had seen them, but as the summer went on, the heat kind of became more of a challenge,” McCormick said.

Growers were hoping that the early precipitation would translate to fully recharged reservoirs; instead, high temperatures and dry summer months translated to increased irrigation needs, and water continues to challenge the region, she added.

San Luis Valley grower Skyline Potato Co. reported no major weather issues but expects a slightly lighter yield due to an early-season cold spell that caused some plants to not size up as expected. Subsequent plantings fared better, said Alderete, adding that the crop is in good shape overall.

“It’s been a balancing act; the weather is warm right now and they’re calling for rain here in the valley,” he said. “We haven’t had rain here in the last month and a half. It’s just been hot and dry.”

Rain is typically a welcome sight, even during harvest, he continued.

“You can get a little bit of rain and it won’t hurt [your harvest]. You just won’t have to run the water as much or pre-irrigate before you harvest,” he said. “You can put a quick burst of water on the potatoes before you harvest and break up any clods, and [rain can] help with that.”

Seeking competitive gains at the season start

The diversified, vertically integrated Wada Farms says it leans on data to put itself, and its customers, a step ahead.

The easiest way to up your fresh produce game, according to the grower-shipper, is to do your research — information is power.

“Do your due diligence and assess the category data to make sure you’re meeting the needs of your customer base. Leverage those shippers that have access to category management and put yourself ahead of the curve,” Beck said. “Data is a very powerful tool in today’s dynamic landscape.”

For others, the upcoming season brings personnel growth and transitions that will inevitably shape the business.

Leading the second generation at Tater Traders, McCormick got her start in the produce business working alongside her mom. Despite the unique challenges that come with working with family, McCormick says she enjoys the closeness that a family business brings.

“My sister just started in August, and it’s been really fun working with her,” McCormick said. “We know each other so well.”

California still leads the pack in peaches despite steady decline

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:00:35 GMT

While Georgia often comes to mind as the platonic ideal of peach country to many, California is the largest peach producing state by far, growing almost three-quarters of all peaches in the U.S., according to the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service.

In 2022 alone, California harvested 475,000 tons of peaches. Trailing behind in second was South Carolina, yielding only 67,400 tons, and Georgia in third with production at 24,800 tons, according to a recent USDA Economic Research Service report.

Related news: With Georgia production down, peaches are pricier

Understanding declines in peach production

Even though California leads the country in peach harvest, its production has been trending lower for almost two decades, contributing to an overall decline in U.S. peach production. According to USDA’s NASS, peach volumes have been dropping in California since 2014, when 620,000 were reported harvested. The decline appears to have stabilized slightly in the past year, increasing in 2023 from 480,000 tons, up from 475,000 tons in 2022, according to NASS.

Compounding domestic production declines earlier this year, Georgia and South Carolina peaches experienced challenging weather conditions that included unseasonably warm weather in late winter followed by late spring cold snaps. Unprecedented wet and cold weather also contributed to a later start of California’s peach season, culminating in lower yields overall for domestic peaches in 2023.

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

Total domestic peach production in 2022 was estimated at 625,680 tons, 8% smaller than the crop in 2019. In 2022, California’s peach harvest was about 5% smaller than in 2019 and nearly 27% lower than 10 years earlier.

Looking ahead, the latest reports from USDA’s NASS forecast 2023 total peach production to be 13% lower than in 2022.

Garlic market conditions finally favorable for domestic growers

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 18:12:33 GMT

For domestic growers and importers supplying year-round garlic to customers, the key to success with garlic is twofold.

Not only is it critical to harvest, cure and store the allium to ensure a high-quality crop, but it’s also essential to manage market conditions strategically as global import markets play a critical role in whether a producer yields a profit for the product.

Garlic suppliers have seen markets fluctuate over the past several years, dealing with unexpected demand and supply chain issues through the pandemic and subsequent inflationary conditions. In 2023, markets are finally looking favorable.

“We’re cautiously optimistic about this season with California garlic,” Kain Fattahi told The Packer. Fattahi manages operations at the family-owned and operated Global Farms based in Los Angeles.

China and Spain are seeing reduced garlic exports this year, he said. China’s harvest is reportedly down this season compared with years prior. That, combined with a roughly 30% reduction in Spain’s acreage, translates to promising conditions for domestic garlic, Fattahi said.

“We’re probably not going to see as many imports [in the U.S.], and so that should support the California market this year,” he added.

Global Farms experienced a boom of demand during the pandemic, Fattahi said.

“The last couple of years, prices were really depressed on imports because Spain, Argentina, Mexico and China had just planted a lot of garlic. We saw a lot of cheap prices from those countries,” he said. “In California, the costs are what they are; you can’t expect to compete with a lot of those imports.”

Many growers in garlic-exporting countries chose not to replant. The reduced acreage, combined with weather issues, has led to an overall shortage on imports, Fattahi added.

Andy Martin, president of A&A Organic Farms based in Watsonville, Calif., sees similar trends unfolding this summer.

“Both Spain and China have seen weather issues that have affected imports recently,” Martin told The Packer. “Spain, in particular, has had issues with rain, which has affected both quality and volume.”

All in all, the markets look stable in the months ahead, Martin said.

In addition to favorable markets, Martin is looking forward to seeing A&A Organics’ newest garlic program from Mexico come to fruition after several years in the making.

As part of the new program, the grower just planted purple garlic seed for next year’s harvest. A&A Organics sources its organic white garlic crop from California, Mexico and Argentina.

“It’s steady as she goes,” Martin said. “Our Argentinian crop in particular is drop-dead gorgeous and runs like clockwork.”

Challenges on the horizon

For producers trying to break into garlic production, it can take a while to get established.

“Produce House is still relatively new to marketplace with three seasons under its belt and [we] have found that this market is intimate,” Raquel Espinoza told The Packer. Espinoza leads sales and marketing for Nogales, Ariz.-based Produce House, which has recently added garlic to its growing produce portfolio.

“We are starting to understand its dynamic and will continue to grow into this category in the future, always maintaining food safety [as] a priority as we market our products,” she said.

Espinoza is optimistic that the company will soon establish its position as a certified organic garlic grower sourcing from Mexico.

“It’s our goal to work with our national market here in the United States and grow into all North America,” she said. “It is in our plans to grow global in the next five years with this commodity.”

Another persistent challenge for many bringing garlic to market is the cost of labor, especially for domestically grown product.

“Here in California the cost of labor is really the unknown factor,” said Fattahi at Global Farms. “We don’t we don’t see it going down anytime soon. It’s tough competing against a lot of these imports with the cost of labor in California,”

While Global Farms hones the efficiency of harvest and the operation as much as possible, the cost of labor in the Golden State remains a hurdle.

“The fresh market is all hand-harvested and no one’s developed any other way to harvest the garlic,” Fattahi said. “The bulbs are pretty delicate. It all has to be harvested by hand.”

Texas watermelon harvest bouncing back from a rough 2022

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:31:15 GMT

The Texas watermelon queen is in “full touring mode” headed into July, making her way to picnics and parades across the state, with melon harvest in full swing. While the Lone Star State might not boast the highest watermelon output in the U.S., it produces a steady supply of the iconic fruit of summer outings and barbecues.

Most domestic watermelons are produced in Southern states, with Florida leading output, producing a third of all U.S.-grown watermelons. The Sunshine State is trailed by Georgia, California and Texas in top watermelon producers. According to the most recent USDA Economic Research Service data, Texas produced about 11% off all U.S.-grown watermelons.

In West Texas, watermelon farmer and Texas Watermelon Association President Luke Brown was preparing to cut his first melons when he spoke to The Packer on June 26. Right now, Brown is hoping the weather remains favorable before the first round of harvest on his 220-acre watermelon farm in Balmorhea, Texas.

“It’s nerve-wracking this time of year. You got these thunderstorms built up kind of over the mountains every evening and you never know if one of them is going to have a hailstorm in it,” Brown said. “You don’t know if it’s going to hit you or not; it’s just sporadic.”

If the notoriously fickle Texas weather cooperates, the fourth-generation watermelon farmer is looking forward to what he anticipates will be a good yield.

“Peak harvest is getting ramped up really good right now and will peak about the second week of July and run pretty hard all the way through the second or third week of August,” he said.

Brown was also pleased with the quality he’s seeing in his fields.

“This crop looks very good — probably one of the best I’ve ever had,” he said.

Brown prefers to stagger his harvest into five ages of melons, each to be harvested in waves over three months.

“We’ll never cut more than 10 truckloads a day,” he said. “That’s the way we want to structure our labor, and the way ... market conditions tend to be at different points in the summer, we just find it’s better to have a small, steady supply.”

“Obviously price fluctuates, and right now price is real favorable,” Brown continued. “We’re not complaining about it, but it’s the effects of inflation, no doubt. My bills are 50% higher than they were. It’s all relative.”

Brown relies on hiring H-2A workers for his harvest labor.

“Without H-2A, I’m done. It’s over that day,” he said. “We have some year-round local guys that have been with us since we started, and they worked for my grandfather 30 years before that. But as far as harvest labor, we rely on the visa program, and we use the same guys every year; these workers have been harvesting for us for seven or eight years now.”

Yield up, quality down in Rio Grande Valley region

The 2023 crop is shaping up to be average for Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden regions, with better yields but lower quality fruit compared to the previous season, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension experts.

“Yields are better than last year, but quality is down, and I think if you asked growers, they’d say it’s average across the board,” Juan Anciso, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Weslaco, Texas, said in a statement. “Harvest is wrapping up in the Valley, and there are more watermelons making it to the market.”

Last year, watermelon production in the Rio Grande Valley dipped 17%, compared to the season prior. However, watermelon acreage increased in South Texas in 2023, Anciso said. Overall, fruit yields were about average while quality was lower due to consistent rains throughout the month of May.

Related news: Cantaloupe growers stitch together a steady supply through summer

Producers worried about drought and water supplies at the beginning of the season, but since May 1 the rains have created quality issues, Anciso said. Rainfall as the fruit developed on the vine led to lower brix measurements than in recent years, which affected flavor and sweetness. The rains also led to some issues with diseases, like downy mold and fusarium, which in turn also led to lower-quality fruit.

Outlook in Winter Garden looks bright

Meanwhile, conditions were looking up in Texas’ Winter Garden region, Uvalde-based A&M Agrilife Extension horticulturalist Larry Stein said in a market update. Recent rains have improved soil moisture levels, and the combination of milder temperatures and moisture created ideal growing conditions for most crops, including melons.

Watermelons were vining, blooming and being pollinated by bees, but they could be slightly behind schedule due to cooler temperatures this spring, Stein said in the update.

Related news: Mexican melon markets to stabilize for peak summer promotions, forecasts grower

“Other than a few issues, I can’t believe how well they are looking right now,” he said. “Melons like it hot and dry, but the milder temperatures and moisture has them looking very good.”

Overall, conditions are a far cry from the 2022 season when early triple-digit temperatures, high winds and drought added up to a rough year across the main watermelon-producing regions of Texas.

H-E-B’s latest Austin location leans into experiential shopping

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 19:26:05 GMT

It’s hard not to feel a swell of excitement as a new grocery store swings open its door for the very first time.

Shoppers sidle up to the entrance with anticipation and push new, shiny steel carts down glistening floors, surveying the picture-perfect merchandising displays and unblemished, ripe produce. It’s a rare and lovely moment, filled with equal parts promise and showmanship.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, San Antonio-based grocery retailer H-E-B cut the ribbon on its latest Austin-area location — an expansive 97,000-square-foot, two-level store at 2652 Lake Austin Blvd. that not only includes spacious, well-stocked departments but also a barbecue restaurant, coffee shop, pizza takeout and a full bar with patio seating views of Austin’s beloved Lady Bird Lake.

(Farm Journal)

Whoever said that in-person, brick-and-mortar shopping was dead clearly hasn’t stepped inside an H-E-B lately.

Related news: Our top 5 produce retail trends for 2023

Even though H-E-B only operates in one state in the U.S., it looms large among grocery retailers, giving to credence to the saying, “everything is bigger in Texas.” The grocery retailer has a cult-following in the Lone Star State and has continued to enjoy steady growth over the past several years, in both in-person and e-commerce sales. In June 2022, it even beat out behemoths Amazon and Walmart, snagging the top spot in the American Retailer Preference Index from London-based customer data science company Dunnhumby.

E-commerce wins aside, when strolling through the aisles of the newest H-E-B in central Austin, it’s hard to ignore the obvious: The Texas retailer is betting on rich in-store shopping experiences to draw shoppers into its stores. With sprawling produce displays that highlight plentiful Texas and organic options, to fresh tortillas, draft beer and porch views, and ample opportunities to order online and scan QR codes in H-E-B’s new Lake Austin location, the grocer is betting shoppers will want to experience shopping in its aisles firsthand.

Related news: London’s M&S Foodhall puts the veg in Valentine’s Day

Peek into produce

The produce department of H-E-B’s new Lake Austin location leads with plenty of Texas-grown and organic options.

(Farm Journal)

Salad days

A wall of salad invites customers looking for fresh grab-and-go lunch options to look no further.

(Farm Journal)

Integrated shopping

While the experience of picking up groceries, a coffee, prescriptions, tacos or barbecue is clearly the focus on the new store design, opportunities to scan a QR code to check out a menu or order online are sprinkled throughout the store with aesthetically pleasing and adaptable digital signage.

(Farm Journal)

Only in Texas

Just in case you forgot you were in Austin, Texas. Breakfast tacos rank under coffee as grocery staples in Texas’ capitol city.

(Farm Journal)

California Avocado Commission unveils season forecast and media strategy

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:35:45 GMT

The California Avocado Commission forecasts a 2022-23 harvest of about 257 million pounds of avocados for its California crop. The early season assessment is down from 276 million pounds in the 2021-22 season.

“The recent California rainfall has been welcomed by our growers throughout all districts,” Jeff Oberman, president of CAC, said in a news release. “Growers have related increased sizing and crucial replenishing of water sources during my recent visits to all production regions. We do not yet know if there will be any change to the expected harvest timing, however, excitement is building from our retail partners for the kickoff of the California season.”

The majority of California’s avocado harvest — 243 million pounds — is expected to be the hass variety. The remaining forecast includes a harvest of 7 million pounds of lamb hass avocados, 6 million Gem avocados and about 1 million pounds from other commercially grown varieties in California.

Related news: Guacamole touchdown: Avocados poised to win over Super Bowl shoppers

Weather and market conditions are key factors that determine when California avocado growers will begin harvesting. Some growers may delay picking to allow the avocados more time to increase in size. Oberman said in the release that there will likely be some avocados harvested in time for the Super Bowl mid-February, with limited volume available for local promotions.

California avocado volume is expected to begin ramping up in March, with peak availability from April through July. Volume is expected to taper off through Labor Day, according to the release.

Media plan for avocado season

“The Commission’s media plan and new creative executions are in development with an expected launch in April,” Oberman said in the release. “We are eagerly anticipating peak California avocado season in the spring and summer months with additional volume for promotions and customized marketing support.”

This year CAC is continuing its advertising campaign, “the best avocados have California in them,” but adding new creative executions to keep communications fresh, the commission said. Content will include California avocado tips, grower spotlights and new creative videos that demonstrate what’s unique about California avocados.

Customized retail and foodservice promotions with targeted customers are key components of California avocado marketing support and will include recipe and video content on social media platforms.

During the avocado harvest season, the CAC geo-targets consumers near stores that offer California avocados to keep the fruit top of mind, according to the release.

Additionally, CAC’s social media program runs year-round but ramps up leading into the season. According to the release, this year’s CAC social media strategy includes:

In February, activity with targeted and promoted retailer content supports the early harvest.
In March, as California avocado supply continues to increase, social efforts will gain momentum with support across multiple channels.
Throughout the season, CAC will showcase California avocado recipes, tap into cultural moments and reinforce the California difference through education and entertainment.

Publix continues domination of Florida’s retail marketplace

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:37:58 GMT

The new coronavirus COVID-19 hasn’t changed one reality: Publix has an iron grip on Florida grocery sales.

Walmart runs a distant second among Florida’s grocery retailers, according to 2020 market share numbers from Shelby Market Research.

In South Florida, Shelby reports that Publix commanded a market share of 60.2% in the first quarter of 2020, trailed by Walmart with a 12.54% share.

In central Florida, Shelby said Publix’s market share was 52.9%, with Walmart’s at 18.9%.

In North Florida, Shelby reported Publix had a 46.6% share, followed Walmart with a nearly 20% share.

The COVID-19 crisis has increased retail sales but decreased the frequency of shopper visits.

Publix reported sales for the three months ending March 28 increased approximately $1 billion or 10.3% because of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic.

While retail sales are up, unacast.com reported that for the week of May 6, Florida’s retail grocery shopping trips were down 32% compared with year-ago levels.

Related to COVID-19 relief, Publix on May 5 said it had purchased more than 1 million pounds of fruits and vegetables to donate to Feeding America member food banks.

After two rough seasons, Texas citrus is coming back strong

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:36:41 GMT

The sunny Rio Grande Valley on the border of Texas and Mexico might not be the first place that comes to mind when imagining endless acres of citrus orchards, but growers in this subtropical region of South Texas are working hard to change that perception.

“Texas truly does produce a unique citrus crop. Our grapefruit is surprisingly sweet, and our oranges are incredibly sweet, often registering a brix/acid ratio around 30,” said April Flowers, marketing director at Lone Star Citrus Growers, a family-owned, conventional grapefruit and orange packing shed based in Mission, Texas.

On the heels of two disappointing years, Texas citrus is punching above its weight this winter, and Dale Murden, president and grower at Texas Citrus Mutual, is excited to be back.

“It gets in your blood, and you can’t get enough. There’s just something about growing a great crop of grapefruit or oranges that gives you a satisfaction hard to explain to most people,” Murden told The Packer.

Boasting a 40-year career growing citrus in the Lone Star State, Murden has seen Texas citrus develop into the industry it is today. Starting in the citrus industry right out of high school as an IPM scout for the local extension office, Murden now represents the Texas Citrus Mutual organization and its affiliated companies.

Market Outlook

In the 2022-23 season, growers are excited to return with a strong harvest after two years stymied by extreme weather. “After a couple of hard years resulting from the hurricane and the freeze, we are excited to get back to doing what we love,” Flowers said. “We are pleased with our crop for this season, and we hope to be back up to 80% of a normal crop for the 2023-24 season.”

“The markets seem to indicate consumers are glad we are back on the shelves following the hurricane in 2020 and freeze in 2021,” Murden said.

All in all, the 2022-23 Texas citrus market “is strong, and the quality is great,” according to Murden. What’s more, he hopes that “somehow we begin to see some relief in the high costs of our inputs, and we get those rains to replenish the lakes.”

Hurricane Ian in Florida and the megadrought affecting Arizona and California citrus crops have benefited Texas growers. “The gap in supplies has shifted attention back to the Texas crop as buyers look to fill space on their shelves,” said Flowers, of Lone Star Citrus Growers.

“We are currently in a very strong market,” she added. “California grapefruit finished early, and the hurricane in Florida has driven prices higher. Additionally, the reinstatement of the juice standard for Mexican imports will help to maintain a healthy and stable market.”

Murden of Texas Citrus Mutual agrees. “Any disaster in another area always affects the competing regions, usually in a positive way. Supply and demand,” he said. “I personally quit growing navel oranges here years ago in favor of grapefruit, but I remember the only time I seemed to make any money with the crop was when California would freeze. Sad it’s that way, and we don’t wish disaster on any of our neighbors. We need a strong domestic supply and industry the consumers believe in and count on.”

Despite strong market demand, Murden sees “lingering drought and labor shortages dramatically increasing input costs” as continued challenges to the industry this season.

Flowers perceives challenges in the upcoming season similarly. “The rising cost of labor, raw materials and energy are narrowing margins and affecting pricing,” she said.

Persistent drought conditions

“We’ve been in a drought situation here for the last two years,” Murden said. “Fortunately, citrus growers think long term and not short term and will buy up ‘extra’ water when it becomes available. Nevertheless, we need rains in the water shed to fill the reservoirs.”

Lone Star Citrus Growers receives its water from reservoirs from the Rio Grande River. According to Flowers, “these water sources have seen historic lows over the past two years” and has led to conservation measures over the summer months, including negative water allocations for agriculture and tightening of municipal water restrictions.

Despite these lows, Flowers is optimistic. “September and October are historically our rainy months, and while we did not see much rain in Hidalgo and Cameron counties, the West Texas water shed did receive appreciable amounts, helping to restore Lake Amistad by about 20 feet,” she said. “Lake Amistad continues to rise a couple inches a day, which is very encouraging. While it is true that Falcon Lake remains very low, we have more water right now than we did at this time in 2020, allowing negative allocations to be replaced in mid-October. We certainly need more rain, but Lake Amistad is currently around 46% capacity, as of Nov. 4, 2022, which has moved us out of the danger zone for now.”

Pests and disease

When it comes to pests and disease, no news is good news and Texas growers anticipate a relatively quiet year when it comes to common pests.

“[This year is] like any other year really,” Murden said. “No quarantine issues with the Mexican Fruit Fly. Both [the] industry and USDA have done a good job with the program.”

Huanglongbing — also known as HLB or citrus greening — continues to be an ongoing concern that growers will troubleshoot, according to Murden. That said, Texas citrus growers have not seen a drop in production because of this disease this year. “Growers here learned a lot from our Florida counterparts and immediately began ACP treatments and tree health improvements when we first discovered it here in 2012,” he said.

“We are fortunate that we have not struggled with HLB like other growing regions have,” Flowers agreed. “Additionally, this past summer was hot and dry, which always helps keep pests under control.”

“I must say that the last three years have provided every manner of challenge including a pandemic, a hurricane, a freeze and now a drought,” Flowers added. “However, this has only highlighted the resilience of the Texas citrus grower and the incredible team we have at Lone Star Citrus Growers.”

Chilean citrus forecast predicts back-to-normal exports

Mon, 15 May 2023 17:46:30 GMT

The Citrus Committee of ASOEX has released its estimate for the 2023 season, projecting global exports of 345,000 tons, according to a news release.

This estimate is a significant increase across all citrus categories from the 2022 season, in which Chile was negatively impacted by climatic factors, logistical issues and rising freight costs. As a result, citrus exports were consequently down by 32% in 2022.

This season, Chilean citrus exports have returned to normal levels, said the release. Export projections for the 2023 season by the Citrus Committee of ASOEX include:

Clementines: 55,000 tons.
Mandarins: 125,000 tons.
Navel oranges: 90,000 tons.
Lemons: 75,000 tons.

The U.S. market can expect to receive fruit with favorable sizing, color and flavor, according to the release. Last season’s rains helped to alleviate the water deficit, especially in the Coquimbo region, so the Citrus Committee anticipates good sizing.

What’s more, the cool autumn nights and warm days have also had a positive impact on color and brix, according to the release.

The season began the week of April 10, 2023, with the first shipments of clementines including oronule, orogrande and clemenule varieties from early orchards in the Coquimbo region. As of the week of May 8, a total of 3,130 tons of clementines have been shipped to the U.S., according to the release.

The U.S. is Chile’s top export market for citrus

During the 2022 season, the following exports accounted for top Chilean citrus exports, according to the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association:

Clementines: Exports reached 42,090 tons, with the U.S. was the main destination market, accounting for 99% of total shipments.
Mandarins: Shipments reached 89,130 tons, with 97% being shipped to the U.S.
Oranges: Chile exported 80,623 tons, with the main destination market the U.S., accounting for 92% of shipments.
Lemons: Shipments totaled 56,260 tons during this past season, and 55% percent of lemons were exported to the U.S., while 38% went to the Far East, 6% to Europe and the remainder were exported to Latin America and Canada.

Chilean citrus growing regions

Chile’s citrus orchards are distributed between the Atacama and O’Higgins regions, with most orchards — totaling 7,549 hectares — located in the Coquimbo region. This is followed by the Metropolitan region with 6,916 hectares and the Valparaíso region with 5,600 hectares.

In terms of citrus categories, mandarins have the largest planted area, with 11,184 hectares, according to the release.

Here's where Connecticut crops stand after heavy rainfall

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:27:57 GMT

Excessive rainfall hurt some of the fall corn, squash and cucumber crops in Connecticut but doesn’t seem to have had much of an impact on apples. Meanwhile, imported bananas continue to be a good seller in the produce department.

Precipitation has been a thorn in the side of JP Jarjura & Sons Co. , a Waterbury, Conn.-based produce wholesaler.

“During July, August and September, there was too much rainfall this year,” said owner William Jarjura. “It hurt some of the crops, there’s no question about it.”

The Connecticut River overflowed its banks, he said. “The guys near the river got flooded out. That’s caused a little shortage.”

Jarjura said he normally would pay $13 for five dozen ears of corn. This year, the price is $18 to $20.

“The corn market was a little high, but the quality was still OK for whoever had it on higher ground,” he said.

Quality of the pumpkin, butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash crops was marginal, he said, and volume was fair. The tomato crop rotted from the ground up.

“All the leaves fell off the plant,” he said. “It wasn’t a good vegetable year.”

The situation was a little different for the apple crop.

“We have a nice crop out there, and we kept up on our fungicide program, so we should be OK,” said Eric Henry, president of Blue Hills Orchard Inc. , Wallingford, Conn.

Blue Hills Orchard grows several apple varieties, including empire, fuji, Pink Lady and EverCrisp. Harvesting for most of the apples should be finished by the end of October, Henry said. Shipments will continue out of storage until spring.

“We’ve had a ridiculous amount of rain,” Henry said, adding that includes more than 1 foot of precipitation from mid-September until mid-October — highly unusual for that time of year.

“The rain sized the fruit up nicely, but it messed up our picking schedule,” he said.

Larger fruit means greater volume.

“If you put an extra quarter inch per piece of fruit, that adds bushels,” Henry said.

JP Jarjura & Sons also distributes apples.

“The apple crop seemed to be OK for some reason,” Jarjura said. “There seems to be a decent amount of apples this year.”

The company ships a number of soft-skin apples, like mcintosh, cortland and macoun, he said.

Blue Hills Orchard has added a picking platform to make the apple harvest easier, Henry said.

The new equipment is working well on the company’s high-density trellis system, he said. It’s easier to reach trees without using ladders or picking buckets, which saves labor and increases efficiency.

“That’s the name of the game,” Henry said.

Bananas are top of mind at New Haven, Conn.-based Cedro Banana Distributors , where sales have been steady all year long, since they’re one of the cheapest items in the produce department, said Billy Mascari, vice president.

Bananas have been averaging about 69 cents a pound. During these inflationary times, some consumers are cutting back on more expensive items and buying an extra hand of bananas, Mascari said.

“Our ripening rooms are always at full capacity,” he said.

Besides its wholesale and ripening operations, Cedro has a trucking division, Mascari Bros. Inc., which recently added three new trucks, bringing the total to 10, he said.

Why Chicago-area distributors anticipate a happy holiday season

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 20:00:19 GMT

Chicago-area produce distributors were thankful for a strong Thanksgiving holiday period and anticipate more of the same for Christmas and New Year’s.

“We’re pretty much rolling along,” Mark Pappas, president of Coosemans Chicago Inc. , said in late November.

Despite intermittent price spikes on a few items, like hothouse peppers and grape tomatoes, no major shortages occurred, and most commodities were pretty consistent, he said.

Pappas was hopeful this season that companies would reinstate holiday parties that were placed on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That would help the industry in general,” he said.

Business also was “excellent” at Schiller Park, Ill.-based Sun Belle Inc. , where founder and CEO Janice Honigberg expected the company to experience significant growth in product offerings and market coverage as a result of its recent acquisition by Frutura, a Reedley, Calif.-based grower and distributor of fresh produce.

“We’re joining as part of their berry group,” she said.

Frutura also acquired Santiago, Chile-based Giddings Fruit , a longtime partner of Sun Belle and year-round supplier of organic and conventional berries from Mexico, Chile and Peru.

Since the acquisition included Giddings’ Cerasus, a large Chilean-based cherry grower and part of Giddings Fruit, Sun Belle now can offer North American markets high-quality Chilean cherries that previously were destined primarily to buyers in Asia, Honigberg said.

Sun Belle is also marketing Ozblu variety blueberries from another Frutura company, Agricola Don Ricardo, a large Peruvian grape, citrus, avocado and blueberry grower.

Besides her role at Sun Belle, Honigberg now serves on Frutura’s board of directors.

“It will be very interesting to learn about the grape, citrus, avocado and cherry businesses as well as berries,” she said.

Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based The Ruby Co. expects to experience “another year of tremendous growth,” especially in the foodservice sector, which accounts for 40% to 50% of the company’s sales, said Josh Wolff, partner and director of growth and strategy.

“It’s a testament of who we are, how we operate, and how we support our customer base,” he said.

The company also supplies retailers, broadliners, distributors, repackers, processors and wholesalers.

Last year, The Ruby Co. had to pass along a lot of significant price increases to its customers, he said.

“This year, given the crop conditions and the freight market, we were excited to provide savings back to our end customers when possible.”

Potatoes and onions are The Ruby Co.’s main commodities, but an added focus has been placed on diversification and expansion into new service offerings and new commodity offerings during the past five or six years, Wolff said.

“As a direct result of best-in-class service and execution, this year we had very impressive customer retention rates,” he said. “We have focused on growing with existing customers while also picking up a lot of new and exciting business for the coming year.”

At Coosemans, Pappas said the U.S. economy is a cause of some concern because of the role specialty items play at a time when some consumers are cutting back on purchases.

“Sometimes [specialties] are the first things people choose to do without,” he said.

But so far, any cutbacks appear to be minimal, he added.

The company’s “really sweet” Green Dragon apples and the Hidden Rose variety with its rose-colored flesh make great holiday gifts, Pappas said.

Other staples at Coosemans include exotic mushrooms, fresh herbs, arugula, Belgian endive, dragon fruit and blood oranges.

Sun Belle will continue to concentrate on a full line of berries as well as pomegranate arils from the U.S. and Peru, some specialty fruits and vegetables and cherries, Honigberg said.

In addition to strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, golden berries and cranberries, Sun Belle will import and distribute Chilean red currants from late December until March.

The company has introduced new labels for a select line of berries that includes a new blackberry variety, a proprietary raspberry variety and jumbo blueberries.

Honigberg is optimistic about the coming season.

“We think we’re going to have a fantastic December, January and February,” she said.

Wolff of The Ruby Co. said he has noticed a drop in freight rates and an increase in truck availability.

“Overall, it’s been a shipper’s market in terms of freight,” he said.

During the pandemic, when demand exceeded supply, asset-based companies expanded their fleets and hired more drivers.

“Increased capacity of trucking and fleets has led to tremendous oversupply of assets on the road, so the supply and demand imbalance has caused freight rates to come way off this year,” Wolff said. “It will be interesting to see what freight does in Q1 of 2024.”

New York City’s fresh produce gets an edge

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:25:36 GMT

It doesn’t hurt Hunts Point Produce Market’s cause that New York City Mayor Eric Adams is a self-professed vegan, who occasionally eats fish.

By following a flexitarian lifestyle, Adams embodies the ethos of the Food as Medicine movement. He champions the plant-based diet for helping him with his Type 2 Diabetes.

Adams’ sweeping package of policy changes and initiatives — including dedicating tens of millions of dollars to overhaul the Hunts Point market infrastructure — makes the personal, well, political.

His measures span the market infrastructure, retailers and underserved communities. The changes include revising standards for all food purchased and served by city agencies and expanding plant-based meals in city-run institutions such as schools, jails and shelters, according to a city government news release and Priya Krishna in the New York Times . Adams’ executive orders also affect agencies overseeing childcare centers and hospitals.

“I have long said that our agencies should not literally be feeding our ongoing health care crisis, by serving foods that contribute to chronic diet-related diseases,” Adams said in the release. “These new food standards will help minimize the consumption of processed foods and sugary drinks, while encouraging whole and plant-based food options.”

The region’s fruit and vegetable suppliers have got to love that “whole” part.

The mayor has made it a point to understand the needs of Hunts Point, said Gabriela D’Arrigo, vice president of marketing and communications for produce wholesaler D’Arrigo New York , based at the Bronx market.

Funding the market overhaul

Market officials, including market CEO and general manager Phillip Grant, are working with local officials and others to collect capital investments to overhaul the aging market’s infrastructure. The market needs to be more modern, accessible and sustainable.

(Farm Journal)

Longtime market vendors are weary of this kind of talk with no action, but it seems there could be some momentum.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how stabilizing the market can be for people’s survival in unstable times, D’Arrigo said.

“We’re essential to this industry,” she said. “If you remove the wholesalers, you won’t have a business for long in major metro areas.”

Besides seeking private funds, the market has some help on the horizon from city, state and federal governments.

In the mayor’s Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery , he indicated $140 million would go toward Hunts Point infrastructure and community priorities, including $40 million in city capital funding for local open spaces and infrastructure.
And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a two-way ramp opening to provide direct access to the Hunts Point peninsula, completing Phase 1 in the Hunts Point Interstate Access Improvement Project.
Also, the market will receive a $110 million federal grant, part of the White House administration’s U.S. Department of Transportation Infrastructure for Rebuilding America.

To access the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center — which includes the seafood market and meat market, as well as produce — in the south Bronx, vehicles have to exit the interstate highway network and use local streets.

Tractor trailers navigating local neighborhoods has been, let’s say, less than ideal for both truck drivers and the neighborhoods. It’s inefficient, causing traffic congestion and air pollution, among other challenges.

“It’s going to make the lives of the truck drivers who spent their entire week driving across the country so much easier. And they really play such an important role in our industry, moving the product from farm to wholesaler to retailer. That core logistical piece is so important,” said Stefanie Katzman, executive vice president of wholesaler S. Katzman Produce, Bronx, N.Y. “So, with New York being such a huge hub for produce and with the amount of volume that comes through here, making it more accessible was a great move.”

NYC retail

When bad weather events, such as Florida hurricanes and California fires, make supply short or low quality, market vendors like Katzman can tap into other sources, such as imports, so that retail and foodservice customers can still get what they need.

D’Arrigo and Katzman said the pandemic honed their skills at acting fast and diversifying their supply and customer bases.

(Farm Journal)

The mayor is working on concurrent goals too, which benefit Hunts Point.

Adams is striving to improve nutrition in food-insecure neighborhoods by offering financial incentives for grocery stores to stock healthy foods like whole, fresh produce.

Those grocery stores include corner stores, or bodegas, where almost 70% of New Yorkers in high-need neighborhoods shop at least once a week, according to the Shop Healthy NYC! Implementation Guide. These corner stores can comprise up to 80% of a neighborhood’s food retail venues.

New York City is home to more than 1,000 supermarkets, more than 25,000 corner stores, thousands of mobile fruit and vegetable vendors and almost 140 farmers’ markets.

And Hunts Point wholesalers supply a lot of the city’s smaller, independent grocery retailers, Katzman said.

“For these independent supermarkets in our general area, we’re really their main source of supply. We act as their distribution center, hitting them every day with fresh fruits and vegetables,” Katzman said. “And we need to make sure that we’re able to do that all the time, in order for them to stay in business and keep produce on the shelves for New Yorkers and beyond.”

Adams also planned to match dollars that New Yorkers spend on fruits and vegetables through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly referred to as food stamps, which can be used in stores, farmers markets and, increasingly, through grocery delivery apps.

NYC foodservice

This commercial epicenter of the U.S. is where trials and innovations often appear first in supply chain logistics, the latest “it” produce, ways of grocery shopping and restaurant concepts.

Trends pop up and trickle inward from the U.S. coasts. Fresh produce for health and wellness has long gained traction at edgy restaurants — just look at Dirty Candy and Eleven Madison Park. But now the local government is also setting the bar for less glamorous but essential foodservice.

Since January, city officials have introduced Plant-Powered Fridays into schools , introduced fresh produce into the nation’s only municipal emergency food system and expanded Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Clinics to public hospitals across all five boroughs.

“New York City’s new food standards should help schools and city agencies serve meals that better promote health and sustainability as well as meeting nutritional needs,” New York University professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health Marion Nestle said in a release. “They emphasize whole foods and those that are minimally processed — the cutting edge of nutrition advice these days.”

By Sept. 28, culturally diverse plant-based meals became the primary dinner options for three city hospitals, paving the way for a citywide rollout. This initiative expands on the health care system’s plant-based lunch default program — launched in March — which has since earned a 95% satisfaction rate, according to a news release.

“When it comes to preventing diet-related chronic disease, there is a growing recognition that it’s not our DNA — it’s our dinner,” Adams said.

— The Packer’s editorial director Jennifer Strailey contributed to this report.

25M boxes lost to Hurricane Hilary, California table grape growers report

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 19:11:54 GMT

Hurricane Hilary delivered wind and rain to many of California’s table grape vineyards during peak harvest for most of the 90 varieties grown in the state, and problems were compounded as many growing areas were hit with additional rain and humidity from the storm’s aftermath, according to a news release.

“The impact of the hurricane and its aftermath is devastating and heartbreaking,” California Table Grape Commission President Kathleen Nave said in the release. “To say that the grower and farmworker community is in shock is an understatement.”

With approximately 30% of the crop harvested when the hurricane hit, it is projected that 35% of the remaining table grape crop — 25 million boxes — have been lost, the release said.

“The revised estimate for the California crop is 71.9 million 19-pound boxes,” Nave said. “The last time the crop was under 75 million boxes was 1994.”

Related news: What’s ahead for California table grapes, strawberries and cherries

Noting that it is typical for California to ship over 65% of its crop after Sept. 1, Nave said that based on the revised estimate there are still over 45 million boxes of grapes the industry plans to ship.

“Reaching consumers at retail stores is a major focus of the work done by the commission,” Nave said. “Partnering with retailers to get grapes on store shelves and to promote them to consumers is work that will continue throughout the season.”

Nave said that retailers understand the damage the storm caused and the ways that labor costs will increase as a result.

Related news: Hurricane Idalia slams Florida’s Big Bend region, spares most specialty crop growers

“Retailers understand that even with skilled workers it will take more time to harvest much of the remaining crop and that accordingly, to keep grapes on the retail shelves throughout the fall, the price paid to growers will need to be enough to make it worthwhile to harvest,” she said.

The industry plans to continue assessing the situation in the weeks ahead and providing updates as needed, while the commission will continue its retail promotion activities and consumer advertising campaigns throughout the season, Nave said.

Sales remain strong in St. Louis as fall items arrive

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:30:00 GMT

Business remains brisk in the St. Louis market as produce distributors tweak their product lines to add traditional fall items.

“The market is as strong as ever,” said Sean Kelley, market manager at the St. Louis Produce Market .

“We are 100% occupied,” he said, with 14 owners on the site supplying the region with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The market completed the second part of its roof replacement project this year, so that now all the roofs on the 70-year-old facility have been replaced within the past couple of years.

“Business really does seem to be very busy for everybody on the market,” Kelley said.

Midstate Produce Co. on the market handles “the bread and butter of the industry,” like onions, iceberg lettuce, bananas and tomatoes, said Joe Sanders, owner and president. But the company now is placing a big emphasis on exotic items, like rambutan, dragon fruit, gooseberries, jackfruit and red bananas, which are sourced directly from shippers at ports of entry.

“Exotics are a growing section of our business,” Sanders said.

Buyers perceive Midstate Produce as a good source for exotics, since they don’t have to order a full pallet of products that may not appeal to all consumers, he said. The company goes out of its way to offer specialty items out of concern for its customers, Sanders said.

“Customer service is dying, and we focus on it,” he said. “We work harder than anybody else to find product for our customers and to service them.”

Business remains steady year-round at Midstate Produce, with its product line shifting slightly throughout the year.

The company brings in seasonal items, including larger supplies of watermelons in summer and adding pumpkins, mini pumpkins, gourds, and acorn and butternut squash in the fall.

Pumpkins start shipping in September, with the busiest period from the third week of that month until the third week of October. Then butternut squash picks up ahead of Thanksgiving.

Midstate Produce also ships some local items in the fall, such as fuji, jonagold, red delicious, gala, golden delicious and granny smith apples, winter hard squash and late summer soft squash, Sanders said.

The company serves primarily the Midwest and Southeast.

St. Louis-based Midwest Best Produce Inc. switches from its big, year-round push on watermelons to its seasonal pumpkin rotation in October, said Dan Pupillo, president.

Steady movement on pumpkins began the first week of September and was expected to continue until about Oct. 20.

Mexico provides a heavy supply of watermelons all year, and in winter ships cabbage, broccoli, peppers, mangoes and limes largely for the foodservice trade, he said.

Local products were winding down, though some were still available from Michigan in early fall. Most were transitioning to Texas, Mexico and Florida.

The company does ample volume in vegetables during the winter, consolidating in St. Louis to ship to surrounding states, Pupillo said. That program closes in summer, when local crops are available in various growing areas.

One long-time St. Louis Produce Market company closed its doors this summer.

After about 55 years, Vince Pupillo decided to close VMP Produce Co. in July.

Pupillo, whose father and grandfather were in the business as well, said he continues to do some part-time work for Vaccaro & Sons Produce on the market selling many of the commodities he sold at VMP, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and onions.

Midstate Produce Co. purchased the VMP building, he said.

Pupillo said he enjoyed his more than five decades in the industry.

“I liked all my customers,” he said. “They treated me with respect, and I tried to return that respect.”

Vaccaro & Sons has been acquired by GrubMarket Inc., a San Francisco-based food tech and e-commerce company that serves businesses and end consumers and provides food-chain software solutions, said Dale Vaccaro, general manager.

The company offers up to a dozen kinds of apples in the fall.

“There seems to be a bumper crop of Washington apples this year, so we’re promoting a lot of apples,” he said.

Other fall items are pumpkins, pomegranates, table grapes, and soon, California navel oranges.

“Volume sort of falls off in the fall because business at some local independent retailers falls off,” Vaccaro said.

Places like produce markets, roadside stands and seasonal-type vendors make up a niche market for Vaccaro & Sons, and that business dissipates at this time of year. But there is good news on the foodservice side.

“Foodservice seems to have picked up a little bit,” he said.

The company provides restaurants with a variety of salad items, like romaine, green leaf and iceberg lettuce, spring mix and tomatoes.

Although foodservice business is “getting close” to pre-pandemic levels, it still isn’t quite there, perhaps due to inflation, Vaccaro said.

“I’ve noticed that since the beginning of the year, consumers are watching their pennies a little bit more,” he said.

There also was good news in the potato and onion categories, which account for “a nice chunk of our business” but suffered from tight supplies the past couple of years, Vaccaro said.

“This year, there seems to a nice crop of both,” he said. “We’re seeing those markets come back to reality a little bit.”

Even with strong sales, St. Louis produce distributors continue to cope with inflation, which hasn’t shown many signs of waning.

“Inflation is not subsiding for me,” Sanders of Midstate Produce said.

Fuel and labor are some of the expenses that continue to rise.

“It’s the consumer who takes the hit, because we have to pass it on,” Sanders said.

But even though shoppers may be trimming their grocery lists, Midstate Produce has not experienced a drop in sales, he said.

Even movement on exotics remains robust because retailers still want to offer their customers variety to set themselves apart from competitors, Sanders said.

Costs are up across the board, and suppliers have to transfer those cost increases to customers, agreed Pupillo of Midwest Best Produce.

Transportation costs hit a peak and have begun to settle down, though they still are higher than in past years because of the higher fuel and other costs truckers have to take on, he said.

Costs of fuel, fertilizer and other farm inputs also have risen, Pupillo said. “The whole industry suffers the same pains.”

Vaccaro of Vaccaro & Sons said many skyrocketing costs have started to level off, but labor costs are not going down.

“To retain good help, [workers] need to be paid,” he said. “That market is not coming off at all.”

Produce buyers: D'Arrigo New York now has an online platform

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:35:04 GMT

D’Arrigo New York , based in the Bronx’s Hunts Point Produce Market, has officially launched its online ordering platform for retail and foodservice customer orders of fresh produce.

“We have spent the past several months running a soft launch of our program and are thrilled with the success we’ve seen to date. So, today, we are making the platform available for all of our charge customers,” a newsletter said.

Traditionally, D’Arrigo New York customers could place their orders three ways:

Coming to the market in person and speaking to a salesperson face-to-face.
Calling it in to a salesperson over the phone.
Faxing the order.

Now, D’Arrigo New York’s online platform allows a customer to place an order directly into the ProducePro system, where the entire product lineup can be found, the newsletter said. There are two ways to order online: web-based platform or a mobile app through iPhone or Android.

Convenience is one of the key benefits to ordering online.

Customers can place the full order online or start an order online — and then call a salesperson to add to it, ask questions about particular products or negotiate pricing. And the opposite can work: The customer can build an order with a salesperson over the phone and then later go back to it online for adjustments.

More tools within the system include:

Print order reports.
Look up statements.
Pay invoices (coming soon).

“Everyone knows that buying produce is not the same as ordering a pizza on UberEats,” the newsletter said. “The online platform is not meant to replace the one-on-one conversation between buyer and seller, where critical information is exchanged on customer needs and product quality. Rather, the platform is meant to complement the existing process and increase efficiency for our customers.”

For more information, contact Kevin D’Arrigo at kevind@darrigony.com.

Related: Brighter Bites welcomes Gabriela D’Arrigo to its board of directors

NYC's Hunts Point Produce Market central to mayor's initial $40 million investment

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:36:03 GMT

NEW YORK — Hunts Point Produce Market has needed modernizing — a serious, comprehensive update to its infrastructure — for at least 50 years.

But as market leaders have said for years, they can’t fund it alone. This effort will require significant investment from several levels of government to ensure the safety of the food supply and people in the most densely populated region of the U.S.

So, New York City Councilmember Amanda Farías, chairperson of the Committee on Economic Development, is pretty proud that Mayor Eric Adams is backing his “Hunts Point Forward” commitment with $40 million, according to a news release.

Released June 15, the plan outlines more than 70 short- and long-term recommendations in the next 15 years for the South Bronx industrial and residential neighborhood that includes one of the biggest wholesale produce terminal markets in the U.S.

“This plan addresses the most critical needs of the neighborhood by facing the issues of food insecurity and environmental justice head on,” Farías said in the release. This is “a community who has long needed and is more than deserving of these long-term investments, and the Hunts Point Market itself that has had no investments made in over 50 years.”

This $40 million investment from Adams is an “initial” financial commitment, according to the release. In the mayor’s Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery , he indicated $140 million would go toward Hunts Point infrastructure and community priorities, including $40 million in city capital funding for local open spaces and infrastructure. The plan’s recommendations include creating family-sustaining jobs, improving public safety, enhancing community health and access to healthy food, promoting environmental justice, and delivering upgrades to open space, transportation, and other key community infrastructure.

“My vision for the city’s economic comeback starts right here in Hunts Point, in a community that kept the entire city fed during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Adams said in the release. “This plan delivers immediate support and a long-term vision …”

A few recommendations that pertain to the produce market include:

Making the neighborhood a model of industrial sustainability and resiliency, while addressing decades of environmental injustices, by continuing to invest in facilities within the Food Distribution Center that are vulnerable to climate change, identifying the next phase of resiliency investments and continuing to advocate for funding to redevelop the produce market into a modern facility.
Connecting Hunts Point residents to local industrial jobs through a variety of workforce development strategies, including a partnership between the New York City Department of Small Business Services and Food Distribution Center tenants to broaden access to open positions.
Increasing access to affordable fresh produce through youth-run farm stands and a new grocery store in The Peninsula redevelopment.

The core values of this plan align with the values of Kate MacKenzie, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy.

“It connects essential food distribution businesses to local residents through job opportunities and expanded healthy food access,” MacKenzie said in the release. “Moreover, the plan, shaped by community voices, is a major step for health equity.”

Related news: Hunts Point Produce Market, community to get $140 million from NYC

This “Hunts Point Forward” plan is a big step toward charting out the necessary massive investment in the Hunts Point community, state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda said in the release.

“Historically, Hunts Point, and the South Bronx at large, have not received such massive investments as in other places,” he said. “This plan is a multidisciplinary effort to upgrade the quality of life of Hunts Point residents, including its vision to remodel the Hunts Point Market, the inclusion of a new Metro-North station, investments in renewable energy and creation of new jobs for local residents.

“As the New York state senator representing Hunts Point, I am hopeful for the future of my district and the future envisioned by this plan.”

Related news: Turning to Hunts Point produce experts in times of crisis

Colorado gears up for summer

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:07 GMT

Supplies of a few local products could be a bit tight this summer, but for the most part, Colorado distributors will have plenty of good-quality fruits and vegetables to sell.

Shipments of Colorado potatoes and onions have been tight because of a freeze last October that wiped out some of the larger sizes, coupled with panic buying prompted by COVID-19 that had both commodities quickly disappearing from supermarket shelves, said Tony Garin, vice president of sales for Colo-Pac Produce , Denver.

Pinto beans were another high-demand item.

Garin expected lower-than–usual volume on local potatoes until a new crop comes on after late September — a little earlier for onions.

Colo-Pac will have gala and Honeycrisp apples from September through early November from Colorado’s Western Slope, and Colorado pears should come on in late summer.

Colo-Pac is pushing apple and pear sales for schools, he said.

A cold snap in April put a damper on the Western Slope stone fruit deal, he said.

It was too soon to know the extent of the damage, but Garin said one grower reported that early varieties of cherries and peaches will be “really light.”

However, more fruit should be available when later varieties come on as the season progresses.

Other local items include asparagus, which started in mid-April, and leafy greens, which should be ready to harvest in mid-June.

For the organic section, Colo-Pac ships a fair amount of tomatoes, onions and potatoes and locally grown yellow squash, lettuces, greens, cherries and a few peaches.

Organic demand is holding steady, Garin said.

Related content: Colorado goes local in springtime

Coosemans-Denver Inc ., a specialty produce supplier, offers hundreds of products, said Garrick Macek, vice president of operations.

Ginger, shallots and fresh culinary herbs are among the most requested.

Although the company tries to source locally when possible, that can be a challenge for a specialty supplier.

“A good portion of the products we offer and source come from outside of Colorado and even the U.S.,” he said.

Coosemans offers a selection of organic items, including herbs, radicchio and bok choy, but organic specialty items are not as readily available as conventional ones, Macek said.

On the foodservice side, popular items include baby peeled carrots, baby heirloom tomatoes, ginger, root vegetables, edible flowers, gourmet mushrooms, rainbow carrots, white asparagus, fingerling potatoes and lots of herbs.

But, as with most produce suppliers, Coosemans’ foodservice business has suffered repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foodservice sales are down 90% at Coosemans with “very little starting to come back,” Macek said.

It’s unlikely that sales at Coosemans will match last year’s, he said.

“I believe we have lost enough business to make it hard to catch up to last year, but it could happen if the economy opens up again soon,” Macek said.

Colorado consumers look forward to local produce, said Brad Jester, co-owner of 5280 Produce in Denver.

Palisade peaches, grown near the Utah border; Olathe corn and Rocky Ford watermelon and cantaloupe are just a few of the local favorites, he said.

Big Sky Trading LLC serves mostly food manufacturers and retailers, said J.T. Pickett, general operations manager and organic produce buyer.

Vegetables account for the majority of the firm’s business, but the fruit side is growing as well, he said.

“It’s a pretty even spread,” he said.

Greens, lettuces and spinach are top-selling vegetables.

The company handles all berry varieties and runs trucks to Washington for apples and pears, Idaho for potatoes and California and Texas for grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges.

“We can get pretty much everything,” Pickett said.

Local summertime items include Palisade peaches, Rocky Ford cantaloupe and carrots from Greeley.

“We try to incorporate (local produce) as much as possible,” he said.

Buying locally holds down freight costs for customers, he added.

Big Sky Trading is a member of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Colorado Proud program that promotes locally grown produce.

“We do everything we can to sell and encourage people to buy Colorado produce,” Pickett said.

Full line of fruits and vegetables due from Alpine Summit

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

Denver-based Alpine Summit Sales will have an extensive line of fruits and vegetables this summer, sourcing from varied growing areas including Colorado, California and Mexico, said Brandon Brown, vice president.

Colorado summer offerings, which Brown said are eagerly anticipated by local consumers, will include watermelons, cabbage, leaf items and a variety of vegetables.

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Big Sky Trading expands organics

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

Denver-based Big Sky Trading is expanding its organic offerings, said J.T. Pickett, general operations manager and organic produce buyer.

“That used to be a very small part of our business, but it’s been about a third of our business for the last two years,” he said.

Organic demand continues to increase, Pickett said.

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Colo-Pac Produce expands capacity

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

A year ago, Denver-based Colo-Pac Produce completed a major cooler expansion that greatly increased its cold storage capacity, said Tony Garin, vice president of sales.

This season, the company has completed racking its 10,000-square-foot warehouse to add more space. Capacity has increased from six to eight truckloads to 16 or 17, Garin said.

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Food boxes grow at 5280 Produce

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

A produce box program for consumers that Denver-based 5280 Produce launched about five years ago has exploded as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We have a huge following,” said co-owner Brad Jester.

Prior to COVID, about 300-500 people picked up a box of produce each week that cost $22-30 and contained about 12-14 produce items.

“This past week we did 3,000,” Jester said in mid-April. “It’s been crazy.”

About half the items are vegetables, the rest are fruit. Contents vary each week.

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The Fresh Guys produce supplier awaits summer

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

The year started off fine for The Fresh Guys , said president Peter Braidman. But then COVID-19 came along.

The Denver-based produce supplier is “muddling through day by day,” Braidman said, but business is down 70% compared to last year.

The company, which serves restaurants almost exclusively along with a few small markets, is “keeping somewhat busy” and has had no layoffs, he said.

Customers missed out on spring items, he said, but he’s now waiting for summer fruits and vegetables to come on, which will include a variety of

Rocky Mountain tomatoes, kales, collards, chards, cabbages, onions, bell peppers, Hatch peppers, Olathe corn and peaches.

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Honeyacre Enterprises ramps up greenhouse

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

Honeyacre Enterprises Ltd., Wiggins, Colo., started its greenhouse program the second week of April with tomatoes and cucumbers and will begin shipping orange, red and yellow bell peppers in June, said Russ Shoemaker, who owns the company with his wife Cindy.

Crops were slightly later than last year because of abnormally cold and cloudy weather that started in mid-March.

Honeyacre has about 25,000 square feet of greenhouse production and will have the same volume this season as last year, he said.

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Pacific Shipping cuts produce

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:37:02 GMT

While vice president Mike Robertson said it’s pretty much business as usual for Lakewood, Colo.-based Pacific Shipping & Trading Co. Inc., he added, “I can’t say it’s totally normal.”

Denver distributors are cutting back, and restaurants are not buying, he said.

And tightened federal trucking regulations have made it difficult for the trucking company to handle produce.

“It gets to the point where your drivers are so tight on hours, you can’t have them go to a produce shed and sit eight to 10 hours and eat up all their day,” he said.

“We don’t do a lot of produce anymore.”

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Atlanta’s farmers market is pulling out all the stops

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:36:58 GMT

The Atlanta State Farmers Market is so much more than the name might imply.

Yes, in the shed area, the general public wanders booths laden with fresh fruits and vegetables from area farmers.

But on the rolling 150 acres in the Atlanta suburb of Forest Hills, Ga., this place is also a major marketing hub and distribution point for fresh produce in the Southeast and throughout the country.

The new entry sign says it better: Atlanta/Clayton County Produce Terminal and Market.

About 50 companies handle wholesale retail, foodservice and nursery business, as well as direct-to-consumer foot traffic.

ATLANTA MARKET TERMINAL

The property is divided into two parts; the traditional farmers market to the west and the wholesale distributor warehouses with loading docks and refrigerated semi-trucks to the east.

After more than three years of construction, Collins Bros. Co. moved into an almost 80,000-square-foot additional facility on market property in April.

“It is the biggest one-time addition to the wholesale market since it was built in the 50s. We are very thankful to have it and proud to say they are in the building and operating,” said Paul Thompson, director of marketing for the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Since COVID-19 pandemic closures walloped much of the foodservice business, leaders have been working with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to find ways to make it through this health and economic crisis.

“We saw foodservice just completely die overnight,” said Jeff Howard, markets manager.

Many businesses redirected the focus from foodservice to retail as much as possible.

Supply hasn’t been a problem, however.

“During this whole pandemic, we have not seen shortages. The sheds here remain full,” Howard said.

Also, the shed area’s farmers market, where goods are sold directly to consumers on foot, has picked up considerably during the pandemic.

“People like to get outdoors and shop,” Howard said. “I’m seeing more and more sales to individuals.”

PLAN AHEAD

The department’s marketing and communication teams have helped farmers connect directly with consumers in several ways, especially online and with a new Georgia Grown To-Go program.

The program is basically a farmers market drive-through at higher volume, Thompson said.

“As this pandemic hit, we were able to learn some lessons from some of the things that were happening with the food chain and the distribution in South Florida, and saw some of those things occurring and were able to make some plans, to have some ideas in the works,” Thompson said.

The department’s marketing and communications teams spread the word about what companies were doing online and what kind of markets were transitioning to touchless.

Thompson said he’s seeing greater interest in Georgia Grown Products and local farmers markets.

“With more consumers staying home and wanting fresh produce, the awareness of how the food supply chain works is growing,” Thompson said.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

The pandemic is affecting everyone in different ways, said Eva Moghaddam, owner, president and CEO of All Seasons Fresh Produce at the market.

The company’s foodservice sales dropped to 30% of what they had been, but by June 17, sales had returned to 70% of previous levels, said Matthew Moghaddam, general manager and chief financial officer.

“I am learning from this event every day,” Eva Moghaddam said. “I can say the most destructive part of the pandemic is the constant confusion and getting stalled with your past ideas. I always want to provide, or make it easier, for every family to find healthier food options.”

As the state reopens, the Moghaddams said they’re handling operations on a day-by-day basis without looking too far ahead.

“That’s all we can do, and hope it gets better. And it’s not looking good, as far as the numbers of people getting sick,” Matthew Moghaddam said.

At Nickey Gregory at the Forest Park market, staff shifted focus to retail sales to get through the challenging months for foodservice customers after restaurants, offices, schools and entertainment centers closed to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But by June 17, demand was finally picking up, especially with Georgia being one of the first states to re-open its public spaces, said Andrew Scott, director of business development and marketing.

“It’s nice to have restaurants open and people getting back to work after quarantining,” Scott said.

Also at the market, Athena Farms, a full-service foodservice distributor of fresh produce and other items, lost about 75% of its business overnight, said Robert Poole, senior sales manager.

About 15% of the company’s customers were from nursing homes or other kinds of eldercare facilities, so those didn’t shut down, he said. But the other customers were hotels, restaurants and catering companies.

“We’re slowly, slowly inching back to normal, but we kind of have to see what the next three months hold. We’ll see,” Poole said.

“After all the protests, if there isn’t a spike, we should go back to normal. All we can do is take one day at a time and keep plugging away.”

RETAIL

Retail produce sales are up, as well as home delivery meals, Scott said.

Comparing 2020 and 2019 Shelby Market Shares data for Georgia (Atlanta, Athens, Macon, Rome) shows that Publix took over the No. 1 position from Kroger within the past year :

Publix: 140 stores, 33.6% share;
Kroger: 115 stores: 25.2% share;
Walmart Supercenter: 81 stores, 17.1% share;
Ingles: 35 stores, 6.6% share;
Food Depot: 24 stores, 3.4% share; and
Whole Foods: 9 stores, 2.4% share.

2019 Shelby Market Shares data showed that Kroger was the clear retail market leader, with 151 stores and a 30.5% share of the retail grocery market.

FOODSERVICE

“Even though there was a severe downturn with the hotel and restaurant industry, things are slowly coming back. There may be a little thinning of the herd, if you will,” said David Collins, who runs

Collins Bros. Produce Co. with his brothers at the Atlanta State Farmers Market.

“Maybe those that remain will get stronger or healthier. It’s not going to be what it was overnight.”

Collins’ foodservice customers initially expected foodservice business drop to 20%, but it dropped 70-80%, he said.

So, they shifted employees from foodservice to fill in the gaps in the retail division and also collaborated with other companies in the distribution community to help each other out.

And then Collins Bros. received the biggest award in the state from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families food box program.

USDA FOOD BOXES

On June 1, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited the three companies at the Forest Park market that won contracts:

Athena Farms received $1.3 million for fresh fruits and vegetables boxes, as well as $495,000 for dairy products;
Collins Bros. received $7.3 million for a fresh produce box; and
Nickey Gregory received $1.7 million for fresh produce boxes.

Also, Atlanta-based Federation of Southern Cooperatives received $480,000.

Poole said everyone at Athena Farms is “incredibly grateful” for the USDA box program, and they’re anticipating another round.

“That really saved our butt. We’ve been in business 25 years, so this would be the first time we’d have had to do a really significant cut to our workforce, and I’m not sure if we would’ve survived,” Poole said.

“It’s helped us employ a lot of people, and we’re reaching a lot of people who need help. And when you see people’s faces, the grateful look on their face to receive a box that feeds a family of four, we just feel really, really good about this,” Collins said.

Using its new, almost 80,000 square-foot facility on the market meant for the Phoenix Wholesale Foodservice division, Collins Bros. created about 385,000 Farmers to Families food boxes by June 17, and was 90% complete on the contract, he said.

Nickey Gregory also appreciated the help during the health and economic crisis.

“The USDA program has been a nice shot in the arm for us with our sales being down the past few months,” Scott said.

The company is delivering the boxes to 12 food banks across Georgia, Florida and North Carolina and also partnering with local counties to deliver more boxes to residences, he said.

Georgia expands organic, local, greenhouse options

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:36:58 GMT

To find the latest news and resources related to conservation agriculture and sustainable food systems, visit AgWeb.com/ACAM.

Eva Moghaddam wants to make it easier for every family to find healthier food.

It’s a value that many producers and distributors in this industry share, a value that can coincide with a healthier earth as well, she said.

Several Atlanta area marketers and growers are showing that the two are not mutually exclusive — not even during the COVID-19 pandemic when human health is first and foremost on most minds.

“I learned life is magnificent, and it is a precious gift for everyone and every living thing,” said Moghaddam, owner, president and CEO of All Seasons Produce, which handles wholesale marketing and distribution at the Atlanta State Farmers Market, Forest Park, Ga., and Evans Growers, which handles production about 200 miles southeast in Claxton, Ga.

“Every plant, every seed and every little green life is hope, and it is beautiful.”

In July of 2019, Moghaddam found a property with 56 greenhouses on 13 acres in Claxton, close to her Vidalia onion farm.

The location seemed perfect for growing organic herbs, of which there is a gap in the Atlanta market, said husband Matthew Moghaddam, general manager and chief financial officer.

After purchasing the property in November, it took the Moghaddams four months to get certified as U.S. Department of Agriculture organic for herbs and peppers.

They are now growing basil, thyme, mint, mini sweet peppers, red peppers and Anaheim peppers, among other varieties.

“We knew organic growing needs constant sustainability and a controlled environment to succeed, and the greenhouse will be best for organic growth without using any pesticides or chemicals,” Eva Moghaddam said.

She had planned for a long time to do organic efficiently through controlled environment agriculture with drip irrigation and temperature controls.

“It’s very difficult to do in the field, with irrigation and bugs and diseases,” Matthew Moghaddam said.

They saw a demand for more organics before the pandemic because there aren’t many companies growing organic herbs in Georgia; most are importing herbs, he said.

All Seasons and Evans Growers has 319 acres of conventionally grown produce too, including cabbage, Vidalia onions, zucchini, squash, broccoli and sweet potatoes, also in Claxton, with a packing house on it.

In December 2019, Pure Flavor , Leamington, Ontario, kicked off its second winter season using hydroponic methods and transitioned 25 acres as part of Phase 1 to grow exclusively tomatoes in its Fort Valley, Ga., greenhouse, 100 miles south of Atlanta.

The company partners with the Georgia Grown program.

Pure Flavor also has a 60,000-square-foot distribution center in Byron, Ga., about 95 miles south of Atlanta.

Doug Bailey, assistant dean of academic affairs at University of Georgia, led a five-day spring break agricultural tour for students from the College of Agricultural and Environmenal Sciences that included the Pure Flavor greenhouse.

The company’s hydroponic growing methods create greater yield than traditional methods and without soil, he wrote in a trip blog.

“These methods allow the company to be sustainable by using less water with less nutrient runoff from plants. To produce their organic products, Pure Flavor uses beneficial insects such as lady bugs and bees to control pests and pollinate plants,” Bailey wrote.

“Pure Flavor brings an important and diverse addition to the face of Georgia agriculture.”

At the Atlanta State Farmers Market, Collins Bros. Produce Co., Forest Park, Ga., has more than 400 organic items and about 100 Georgia Grown products for sale.

“Before this COVID-19 came along, there was a big push of locally grown, sustainable agriculture, and there was a lot of talk on what they need to do to engage with the distribution community,” said David Collins III, one of the company’s owning brothers.

Most sustainable initiatives have taken a “back seat to this COVID thing,” he said, “but I think it’s still something people are embracing.”

The less fuel you have to use going from A to B, the more efficient you become, he said.

“When you can grow good product here in Georgia, would you bring it from 2,000 miles away when you have right here? I think not,” Collins said.

“I think you’re seeing a push toward that and it’s a good thing. And hopefully you’ll see that continue.”

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