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upcoming holidays
• Cinco de Mayo is on Friday!
• Mother’s Day May 14th
• Memorial Day May 29th
• Father’s Day June 18th -
NEW!
• Bay Area Herb Compostable Packaging (Monday)
• Kiku Club Apple
• California Betterful Blueberry Pints
• Cantaloupe (Mexico)
• Snow Peas
• Cal-O Fresh crop Gold Potatoes
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli (Tuesday) -
Promotable Volume
• Asparagus
• California Blueberries Pints and 6oz
• Strawberries (Mexico)
• Ataulfo Mangos -
COMING SOON
• Fava Beans
• Cal-O Corn (in a month)
• Cherries (May)
• Cal-O Russets (June) -
BACK IN STOCK
• Tasteful Selections Honey Gold and Sunburst Medley May 3rd
• Napa Cabbage
• Butternut and Kabocha -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Broccoli, Baby Sweet Broccoli, Broccoli Crowns
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Lacinato Kale
• Pineapple
• Bunched Spinach -
GAPPING
• Baby Bok Choy
• Broccoli Rabe -
WINDING DOWN
• Golden Bosc (PNW)
• D’ Anjou (PNW)
• Durondeau and Alexander Lucas Pears (Argentina)
• Mandarins
• Covilli Zucchini, Green Beans, Green Brussels Sprouts, Romas
• Storage Crop Onions and Potatoes -
FINISHED
• PNW Gold Potatoes
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated April 30, 2023
FRUIT
Earl’s Organic Price List has a new look! Dates, Dried Figs & Raisins, and Dried Mangos can now be found in the Fruit Section. Dried Mushrooms, Dried Chiles, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Twist Ties/ Stickers/Rubberbands are now located in the Vegetable Section.
MARKET update
Jarod Hunting, Buyer, Earl's Organic Produce
California Organic Stone Fruit Delayed Until Mid-May
Excerpt from OPN
Most years, the California stone fruit deal begins in late April, with apricots and cherries leading the way. This year, however, various factors have combined to delay the early varieties by as much as two weeks.
“There’s nothing yet,” said Jarod Hunting, a produce buyer for Earl’s Organic Produce, located on the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market. “What I am hearing from our suppliers is that everything has been pushed back about two weeks. It’s going to be the first and second weeks of May before we see cherries and apricots—and a week after that before we see any peaches or nectarines.”
Hunting added, “We are expecting that there will be organic stone fruit volume by Memorial Day and plenty of opportunities for promotions for the Fourth of July.”
The late start is being attributed to tremendous amounts of rain and colder-than-usual weather, which impacted bloom and pollination. But that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a good season. “We are telling our customers that overall it is going to be a unique and positive year,” Hunting said.
The incredible volumes of rain and the lingering snowpack have been very good for the health of the trees. “And there were more than 1,000 chill hours, which is also good for the fruit,” Hunting said.
Hunting said he has heard that the varieties that need bee pollination might have a fruit set a little bit on the light side, but not all stone fruit varieties need the help of the bees.
“Most peaches and nectarines are self-pollinating, so they have not been affected,” he said, noting that apricots, plums, and cherries do rely on bees to help them set a good crop. “I understand pollination has been a little bit of a challenge this season because of the cold, but overall we are expecting good volume.”
Read the full OPN article for Stone Fruit updates from Homegrown Organic and Fruit World.
Cinco de Mayo is Friday!
Avocados from Mexico have great flavor and high oil content at the end of the season. Eat firmer than a California Avocado, which is just starting up. Don’t forget Crespo Mangos for salsa and the quintessential margarita! NEW from Crespo! Dried round and ataulfo varieties make a great snack with no added sugar. Available in retail and bulk packs. Don’t miss Earl’s team with Crespo Mango cutting tips and tricks on Earl’s Instagram this Friday.
California Betterful Blueberries have fantastic flavor! The delicious Snowchaser variety grown in the Central Valley is available in pints. Betterful farms provide habitat, protect bees from pesticides, and responsibly manage commercially bred bumble bees. Ask us for a Betterful shelf talker to highlight your display.
Strawberries are picking up in volume from both Mexico and California as the weather warms up. Blueberries are off to the races in June and July with larger pack sizes including 18oz. Blackberries in good supply, however Raspberries are tight and we may see some gaps.
Heatwave last week turned on California Coastal View Produce in a big way just in time for Cinco de Mayo.
COMING MONDAY! Bay Area Herbs is the first company to offer plant-based compostable herb packaging. The new packaging is Corn-based 100% bio-sourced plastic PLA. Learn more under Herbs and download the shelf talker.
Kiku Apple
Apples
Meet the newest Club Apple, the Kiku. Born in Japan and raised in Italy, Kiku means Chrysanthemum in Japanese. The Kiku is super sweet, crunchy, juicy with firm flesh like its Fuji parent.
Avocados
Finishing up Mexican Avocados and then fully into California fruit. Look for Rincon fruit this week. Cross merchandise avocados with Covilli Fair Trade Limes on Weekly Special for your Cinco de Mayo display.
Bananas
Earl’s Fair Trade Banana Program is year-round. A few extra pennies per pound, the Fair Trade premium, empowers farmworkers to democratically choose projects that make a difference in their community. And Bananas aren’t the only Fair Trade product we carry!
Hass Avocados
Berries
Blackberries: Steady out of Mexico.
Blueberries: California Betterful Blueberries are a hit! The delicious Snowchaser blueberry grown in the Central Valley is available in pints. Betterful Farms provide habitat, protect bees from pesticides, and responsibly manage commercially bred bumble bees. Ask your Earl’s Sales Rep about promotional opportunities and download the attached 4x6 POS Shelf Talker to highlight your Betterful display. Mix and match with Forbidden 6oz blueberries to increase sales. We will be off to the races in June and July with larger pack sizes including 18oz.
Strawberries: Excellent supply with flavor improving as the weather warms up.
Raspberries: Tight out of Mexico. We may see some gaps.
Citrus
Cinco de Mayo is Friday. Fair Trade Limes are on Earl’s Weekly Specials. Rocking and rolling with Star Ruby Grapefruit. RVO Navels are finished and moving into Benzler. Murcotts and Tangos sweet and eating great! Midnight Valencias starting off strong and eating really well. Wonderful for juicing.
Mango Salsa - Happy Cinco de Mayo!
kiwi
California Kiwis starting in a week. New Zealand Gold Kiwis in 2 weeks.
Melons
Divine Fair Trade Cantaloupe, Honeydew and Mini Seedless Watermelon (Mexico).
pears
Domestic Pears winding down. Abate Fetel will go for a few more weeks. If you haven’t tried the Durondeau and Alexandar Lucas, grab them before they disappear. Abate Fetel is sweet and aromatic, this pear is wonderful for cooking and eating out of hand. The Alexander Lucas pear when ripe, has buttery soft flesh, and is smooth and extremely juicy with a sweet delicate flavor. The Durondeau Pear has a golden exterior with streaks of red blush and is covered all over in a soft russet. They are a bit tart with a crisp bite and a floral flavor.
tropicals
Crespo Tommy Atkins and Ataulfos make a wonderful salsa for Cinco de Mayo. Look to smaller sizes for a good value. Delays at the port along with packaging supply issues are causing Pineapples to be tight on the front side of the week.
VEGETABLES
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Asparagus
The heat is turning on California Coastal View Produce Asparagus out of the Salinas Valley. Time to grill it up for Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day. CVP is an Earl’s Exclusive!
Artichokes
Trickling in.
bunched beets
Lakeside Gold Beets (MX) until California supply is solid.
baby bok choy
Seeing some heavy aphid pressure and gapping for now. Anna’s is waiting until product sizes up.
green beans
Covilli coming to an end quickly. We may see some California Green Beans the week of May 8th.
broccoli
Volume looking up this week.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Northwest grown Purple Sprouting Broccoli is sweet, tender and adds colorful interest to both produce departments and chef’s plates! This colorful crucifer, a cousin of broccoli, can be used similarly to baby broccoli. Purple Sprouting Broccoli offers a nutty, peppery flavor with the subtle sweetness and bitterness common to all Brassica vegetables. This versatile veggie is nutritious and delicious with a vibrant crunch and makes a wonderful Spring side dish.
Bay Area Herb Compostable Packaging coming Tuesday!
sweet baby broccoli
Lakeside is starting up with baby broccoli out of Watsonville. Tomatero and JAS looking nice.
brussels sprouts
Covilli is starting to wind down the season with good volume on Green and Purple continuing through the week.
cabbage
Napa Cabbage has started back up and is pricey.
carrots
Sunrise Nantes back in a limited way.
cauliflower
Continues to be expensive and leaning heavily on 16ct.
romanesco
Back from Lakeside.
celery
Mainly out of Mexico until Lakeside starts up in Watsonville in about a week.
cucumbers
Prices are coming down on Slicer Cucumbers. Good supply on Persians.
eggplant
Plenty of Globe.
Tutti Snap Peas
greens
Starting to see the scarcity factor in Watsonville/Salinas weeks after the heavy rain/floods compounded with cold nights. Rainbow Chard and Lacinato in particular are a bit tight.
herbs
COMING MONDAY! Bay Area Herbs is the first company to offer plant-based compostable herb packaging. The new packaging is Corn-based 100% bio-sourced plastic PLA. Download the flyer to learn more and a 4x6 shelf talker to highlight your display. (See below.)
lettuce
Sunrise Little Gems limited until Tomatero starts back up. Romaine Hearts seeing better volume. organicgirl situation is improving as they transition fully into the Watsonville/Salinas area, weather dependent.
greens
Red and Green Dandelions back in good volume. Starting to see the scarcity factor in Watsonville/Salinas weeks after the heavy rain/floods compounded with cold nights. Chards are scant for the next week. Still seeing some pest pressure on greens out of the desert growing region.
mushrooms
A full line up of Dried and Fresh Mushrooms. Download our Mushroom Guides on Earl’s Marketing resource page.
onions
Storage Crop Onions are dwindling, and soon we will start to see Fresh Crop Onions which do not have the nice cure we are used to seeing. Peri and Sons transitioning from Nevada into El Centro. Earth Bags will gap.
peas
Tutti Frutti Sugar Snap Peas scream spring! Sweet and crunchy snap peas are in a flush. Delicious in a potato salad. Inquire about promotional opportunities.
bell peppers
Look for peppers out of Mexico as well as Canada.
hot peppers
Covilli Jalapenos and Serranos in good supply for Cinco de Mayo.
potatoes
Storage crops are almost finished. The Pacific Northwest is done on Gold Potatoes. New Crop California Cal-O Gold Potatoes have started. Buyers beware … new crop will have thinner skin. New Crop Reds may start by the end of the week.
Russets are set to end the second week of May. New Crop Russets will be harvested by the middle of June with limited sizing and high prices. Anticipate a gap in supply from 2-4 weeks with no count russets. Bagged Russets will carry us through the transition. Tasteful Selections Fingerlings by Mid-May.
rhubarb
Beautiful pinkish red Rhubarb from the Pacific Northwest will be plentiful through the season with stable pricing. Learn buying, storage and cooking tips plus recipes in our Rhubarb blog.
summer squash
Covilli is done with Zucchini. Plenty of zukes from other growers in Mexico.
tomatoes
Covilli Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes for another few weeks. Limited Cherry Tomatoes as they transition fields. Covilli Romas in good supply this week.
winter squash
Butternut and Kabocha are back in stock.
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VEGUCATION CORNER
