-
NEW!
• HoneyBell Orange
• Lemon T’ Orange
• Gold Nugget Mandarin
• Red Seedless Grapes (Peru) -
COMING SOON
• Import Bartletts end February/early March
-
BACK IN STOCK
• Bacon Avocados
• Ambrosia Club Apples
• Sunchokes (Weekly Specials)
• Thai Coconuts (this week) -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Artichokes
• Red and Medley Fingerlings
• Green Onions
• Red Radishes -
GAPPING
• Anna’s Napa Cabbage
• Josie’s Lemon Herb Salad Mix
• Cal-O Bunched Beets
• Cal-O Green Onions
• Cal-O Red Radish -
WINDING DOWN
• Burdock
• California Garlic -
FINISHED
• Daisy Mandarins
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated February 12, 2023
FRUIT
fruit update
Berries are in good supply for Valentine’s Day! Tasty Forbidden and Central West (CWP) 6oz Blueberries are back out of Santa Maria, California. Greenbelle (MX) Blueberries offer a good value on an import berry. Raspberries from Fresh Kampo and Greenbelle (MX) are sweet with a perfect balance of tart. Fresh Kampo Strawberries and Blackberries (MX) have good flavor and volume for the holiday week.
Crespo Ataulfo Mangos are super sweet and buttery. They turn a beautiful golden yellow when ripe. 18ct Ataulfos are a great value for your customers!
It is the season for Edible Flowers! Available in 6/10ct clamshells and 50ct clamshells by pre-order. Add them to salads or decorate a beautiful spring cake, tart or cupcakes! Let your bakery know about volume opportunities!
Raspberries for Valentine’s Day week!
Apples
Ambrosia Club Apple is back! Mildly sweet and tart with tropical notes, the Ambrosia is refreshing, crisp and juicy. Bonus! It resists browning. Club Apples are varieties that are not just patented, but also trademarked and controlled in such a way that only a select “club” of farmers can sell them. Download the updated Club Apple Variety Guide.
Cuyama Lady Apples and Crimson Gold Crab Apples are slowing down - don’t miss out on some of the last California apples.
Apples are coming out of Controlled Atmosphere storage. Highest grade and color and strongest fruit gets put into storage. Learn more under the Vegucation highlight.
Last call for the premium Buckeye Gala High Colored Bush Variety (Washington).
Avocados
Equal Exchange Fair Trade Avocados (MX) are small farmer coop grown. Download Avocado POS cards below to highlight your display.
California Bacon Avocados made a surprise return. Back for a minute. California Hass will arrive around the end of March.
Bananas
Earl’s carries Fair Trade Bananas year-round. Download Earl’s Banana Ripening and Handling guide.
New from Fruit World! HoneyBell Oranges
Berries
It’s Valentine’s Week with all varieties of berries for your holiday display.
Tasty Forbidden and Central West (CWP) 6oz Blueberries are back out of Santa Maria, California. Greenbelle (MX) Blueberries offer a good value on an import berry. Raspberries from Fresh Kampo and Greenbelle (MX) are sweet with a perfect balance of tart. Fresh Kampo Strawberries and Blackberries (MX) have good flavor and volume for the holiday week.
Citrus
Grapefruit: Lots of fruit on the tree going into spring. Star Ruby Grapefruits are not easy to grow and are prone to diseases and susceptible to cold temperatures with a low yield. However, when grown well, Star Rubys produce very beautiful red-blushed fruits with a smooth yellow rind. The flesh is dark pigmented, juicy and with very few seeds.
Side Hill Meyer Lemons are stunning with sweet flavor. A few more weeks to go in the season.
Limes prices are starting to drop.
Cara Caras solid through early March.
Pages, Tangos and Gold Nuggets from Buck! Daisy Mandarins are done. Murcotts coming this week! Make sure to download Earl’s Winter Citrus Guide and follow the flavor each week.
grapes
Red Seedless Grapes are back this week. Look for Green Seedless Import Grapes to return in 1-2 weeks.
kiwi
California is done with a seamless transition to Italian fruit with great flavor.
Nagami Kumquats
Melons
Plenty of supply and sizes on Mini Sweet Watermelons (MX).
nuts
Pistachios are fun to snack on and good for you! Pistachios are bursting with the fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fat that can help keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in check. Their fiber and protein can make you feel fuller for longer. Nichol’s Ranch Pistachio 7oz packs make it easy to grab your own bag or pour them in a bowl for a party.
pears
Asian Pears are done. Golden Bosc, D’Anjou and Red D’Anjou out of the Pacific Northwest in good supply. Import Bartlett will start up by the first week in March.
tropicals
Thai Coconuts return this week. Crespo Ataulfo Mangos (MX) are smooth and buttery. New! Crespo Tommy Atkin Mangos (MX).
VEGETABLES
vegetable update
It is still cold in the evening in the desert and Greens and Lettuce have had some frost and need to wait until the frost melts before they can harvest. Look for Green Onions and Red Radishes from Cal-O to continue to gap this week. We are bringing in other labels as they are available to help cover the gap.
Mexican Asparagus volume has picked up dramatically in standard and large sizes. Volume opportunities are available this week. Talk to your Earl’s Sales rep about pricing. California Coastal View Produce Asparagus out of Gonzales in the Salinas Valley, weather depending, will start up in March. This is an Earl’s Exclusive!
JAS Artichokes will start up the middle to end of March with limited amounts. They are anticipating a flush in April.
Coming soon! Bay Area Herbs is moving into a sustainable/compostable corn starch packaging. Stay tuned for more details!
Mexican Asparagus in promotable volumes
Asparagus
In promotable volumes out of Caborca, Mexico. Ask your Earl’s Sales rep for more info.
Artichokes
Ocean Mist is starting up with their spring season on 12ct.
Baby bok choy
Lakeside looking sharp.
bunched beets
Cal-O gapping for 1-2 weeks. Will see some out of Mexico and possibly Coke.
green beans
Cooler weather in Mexico has slowed Covilli Green Beans.
Broccoli
In good volume! Prices will hold for a few weeks.
Broccoli Crowns
Plenty of Crowns from multiple growers.
Jester Squash-Sweetness similar
to a Sweet Dumpling
Sweet Baby Broccoli
Production is down in Salinas due to the cold weather and prices have increased. Prices will improve with production out of Mexico in a few weeks.
Brussels Sprouts
Good volume on Brussels in net bags and bulk in promotable volume for Valentine’s week.
Cabbage
Anna’s was hit hard in the valley by the storm, followed by some humidity and they are gapping on Napa Cabbage. Desert is in full production on Red and Green Cabbage. Look for a decrease in prices in the coming weeks. Tomatero Savory Cabbage in excellent supply.
Carrots
Sunrise is back with promotable volumes of sweet Nantes! Bunched Rainbow and Purple are gapping for the moment.
Cauliflower
Cold weather has tightened up Cauliflower out of the desert for the next few weeks. Look for larger 12ct to be prevalent.
Equal Exchange Fair Trade Avocados
Romanesco
Romanesco is back from Lakeside and Organic Treat. This nutty brassica is a great way to build up your display while Cauliflower continues to be tight.
Celery
Celery is now sizing up and 24ct will be in better supply going forward.
Cucumbers
Persians hard to get. Euro supply is looking much better. We may see some Fair Trade from Divine.
eggplant
Globe and Graffiti are steady.
garlic
Last land of California Super Colossal Harris Ranch. California Colossal will go through the month. Look to Argentinian Garlic for a value buy.
greens
Chard out of the desert is experiencing pest pressure and is limited. Watsonville Greens recovering from the deluge in the recent storms. Greens may be a bit volatile. We could see some quality issues and scarcity.
herbs
It is the season for Edible Flowers! Available in 6/10ct clamshells and 50ct clamshells by pre-order. Add them to salads or decorate a beautiful spring cake, tart or cupcakes! Let your bakery know about volume opportunities!
Lettuce
Little Gems is delayed from the rain. Sunrise is harvesting what they can, but it will be a few weeks before they can ramp up production.
leeks
Tutti Frutti Leeks starting up out of Santa Barbara County.
mushrooms
Download our Fresh Mushroom Guide and our Far West Fungi Dried Mushroom guide!
onions
Cal-O gapping on Green Onions and Red Radish. Look for Josie’s (MX) to cover until Cal-O starts up again. Cippolinis and Shallots have tightened up late season.
peas
Snap Peas, Snow Peas and English Peas in good supply out of Mexico.
bell peppers
Red, Green, Yellow and Orange Bells in good supply.
hot peppers
Covilli has a full lineup with a flush on Jalapeños. Ask about volume opportunities.
potatoes
Russet count market is very tight. Growers have a surplus of small potatoes that are being packed into bags. Tasteful Selection – Gold will be the primary fingerling.
radishes
Lakeside (MX) will cover until Cal-O starts up again.
roots
Sunchokes are back and on Earl’s Weekly Specials. Last shot of Burdock this week and the season is done until fall. Pretty Purple Turnips from Anna’s through May
summer squash
Covilli heading into a flush of Zucchini. Promotional opportunities abound.
sweet potatoes
Pricing is stable with good volume on all labels.
tomatoes
Covilli Mixed Heirlooms in promotable volume and on Earl’s Weekly Specials! Beautiful Covilli Purple Rose Heirlooms are back.
winter squash
New from Tomatero, the Jester Squash! The Jester looks like an oval Delicata squash with a sweetness similar to Sweet Dumpling (tastes like a mix of sweet potato and pumpkin). The Jester has a thin skin so it is delicious sliced and roasted, stuffed (try wild rice, kale and sausage) or baked all on its own.
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