BUYER’S NOTES
Updated May 8, 2022
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NEW!
• Homegrown Peaches (this week!)
• Dwelley Cherries
• MX Perlette Grapes
• Crespo Kent Mangos
• Watermelon Bins -
BACK IN STOCK
• Red Potatoes (back mid-week)
• Poblanos -
WINDING DOWN
• Navels
• Forbidden Blueberries
• Domestic Honeycrisps
• Domestic Pears
• Covilli Green Beans & Heirlooms
• Cal-O Red Carrots -
COMING SOON
• More Stone Fruit!
• CA Corn
• CA Onions
• CA Fresh Crop Russets -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Flat Parsley
• Belgian Endive
• Napa Cabbage -
GAPPING
• Cal-O Shredded Carrots
• Red Pears (back mid-week)
• Fingerlings
• Shallots -
FINISHED
• Cara Cara
• Import Golden Bosc
FRUIT
CA Stone Fruit season is on the scene with the third week of Cherries, the beginning of Apricots, and Peaches right on their tail! Prices are high this year, due to lower yields and increased fixed costs for farmers, but the fruit is tasting fantastic. Just in time for your Mother’s Day displays. And with that, we will start to bid farewell to local citrus season with the end of Navels and Cara Caras – California-grown Valencias will start to trickle in soon, as the prices come down. Limes saw a relief in price just in time for Cinco de Mayo, and should continue to fall. The weekend saw our first Mexican Grapes with the beautiful green-skinned Perlettes, and the first Watermelon bins – ask your sales rep for details, all melons are eating well! Domestic Pears are on their way out with only D’Anjou holding down the fort, while domestic Honeycrisp Apples will be the first to go – other domestic apple varieties are plentiful. We welcomed our first Kent Mangos onto the scene for the weekend, as we see inconsistent sizing across all mango fronts. But fret not, all varieties are gorgeous and tasting phenomenal.
APPLES
Fujis are in good supply, but domestic Honeycrisp and Pinks winding down. Storage fruit is just about at the limit.
AVOCADOS
Rincon finished up work on their packing line, and you’ll see Eco Farm product to supplement any gaps. Larger-size 48/60ct fruit is in tight supply this year and carrying a high price, even after Cinco de Mayo. Solid supply on the 70/84ct: a great personal-sized avocado and value option to diversify your display!
BANANAS
Slow-ripening fruit slowed down sales at all levels, which can have ripple effects, but we are back on track.
BERRIES
Blackberries: Dovex from MX solid through May before wrapping up
Blueberries: Forbidden will be ending soon. Homegrown will be our main grower for Pints & 18oz until late June La Pierre label from Oregon.
Strawberries: Cold weather in Watsonville saw a bit of stall on local product last week, looking better for this week from Tomatero and other growers.
Raspberries: Fresh Kampo still going strong.
CITRUS
Grapefruit: Hyde on special over the weekend, solid supply and tasting great.
Valencias: Our main orange for now – MX at a good price, with CA starting to trickle in – price will drop off as navel season ends.
Navels: Navels and Caras just about done for the season
California Lemons: Marsalisi Meyers price is rising, but solid supply throughout the Spring and early Summer.
Limes: A bit of a break in lime price for Cinco De Mayo, and should continue the downward trajectory.
Mandarins: Small sized gold nuggets are in best supply, which we’re selling to help the grower. Flavor is still fantastic!
GRAPES
MX grape season starting this week with Perlettes!
KIWI
Volume fill from Greece, Bags from CA.
MELON
Watermelon Bins are here, with multiple vendors coming on! A great value and cutting well – ask your sales rep for more information. Quantity should be solid moving into Memorial Day, promotional pricing TBD. Honeydew are sizing up larger than other melons, and Cantaloupes are tasting great.
PEARS
D’Anjou, the last of the domestic pears, are still firm and holding on strong. Snag your specialty import pears white supplies last: Alexander Lucas are a buttery alternative to D’anjou & Abate Fetel are firm and delicious with promotable supply. Import Bosc has a short season and Red Pear supply tight due to extra-ripe fruit.
STONE FRUIT
First of Dwelley Cherries in over the weekend! High pricing sustained into the 3rd week with no signs the price will loosen – yields are down year over year with high fixed costs (labor, gas, packing materials – increases up to 300%). Yields in PNW down as well and likely won’t be much better. Look for our first Peaches from Homegrown this week!
TROPICALS
Inconsistent sizing on Kent Mangos due to difficulties at the vendor packshed. Inconsistent sizing on the Ataulfo as well, keeping 16ct in better supply than 18ct. Tommy 8/9ct solid through May.
VEGETABLES
Spring produce is going strong, as we start to see more CA summer produce roll in! As usual, Asparagus price shot up after Easter, but production cycles are strong – try out the small asparagus as a value option. For Peas, welcome to the Tutti Frutti and Comanche Creek show! There will be lots of activity for the next four to five weeks before they wind down, get them while they’re at the peak! Try out some Spring Shallots to freshen those displays. But we’re getting our first glimpses of summer produce, with a growing supply of Basil and Zucchini from Tomatero, along with Baby Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Celery. Covilli is starting to wind down on their Green Beans and Heirloom Tomato program – with another month or so until local product comes on from Tutti Frutti. Other CA crops are starting as well: fresh crop Potatoes, Onions, with Corn not too far behind!
ASPARAGUS
Market price shot up post Mother’s Day as per usual, but production cycles are strong. Look for small size for a value option.
ARTICHOKES
Most suppliers have larger fruit, order up on the 12ct where possible!
BUNCHED BEETS
Tutti & Sun Valley are our main suppliers, solid program and quality across the board.
GREEN BEANS
Numbers from Covilli slowing down to a trickle. Field-grown from CA are available, ask your sales rep if you want to see local product.
SWEET BABY BROCCOLI
Tomatero started to flower early – expect a gap until they return later this week. Lakeside is our main provider for now, with Josie’s as a secondary! Keep moving the Gai Lan and Baby Bok Choy for a delicious Asian vegetable option!
cabbage
Anna’s and Lakeside are the main labels – heads are sizing up on the smaller side, but quality is beautiful. Napa supply has been touch and go.
CARROTS
Cal-O carrots will be into better supply towards the end of May – we are seeing gaps in Shredded Carrot availability, bringing in Bolthouse to supplement. Nantes solid, back and forth from Sunrise and Sun Valley. Cal-O Red Bunched Carrots will be ending soon.
CAULIFLOWER
Gorgeous, naked (unwrapped) Cauliflower is available from Tomatero – please tell your sales rep what you think! Along with Bulk Cauliflower from Tutti Frutti.
celery
Josie’s coming out of Salinas/Santa Maria shed, just in time to fill an expected gap in local supply. Tomatero looking consistent through Spring and Summer, with intermittent gaps.
Cucumbers
Sizing up larger in the field, good pricing on 30ct.
GINGER
Keep ginger tight – at the end of the season, the quality can spoil quickly. We’re keeping our eyes on the product daily but be prepared to see minor mold on the tips. Let your sales rep know of any significant spoilage.
greens
Sun Valley and Tomatero are carrying the lion’s share across the entire class. Look for some smaller growers to supplement and increase variety at the retail level.
herbs
Italian Parsley touch and go for now due to difficulty sizing up in the field, sourcing from various labels to fill volume needs. Starting to see solid supply on Tomatero Basil!
lettuce
Sun Valley is experimenting with iceberg and other beautiful leaf lettuces as well. Last week saw minor aphid challenges on Green and Red Leaf that may continue.
leeks
Ralph’s back in stock this week!
bell peppers
Canadian market is high on peppers, while MX market is low. We will bring in Canadian product as the price continues to come down. Fair Trade Peppers available from Divine – be sure to tell your sales rep if you prefer FT!
hot peppers
Solid supply of Jalapenos – New crop Anaheims and Poblanos back this week.
onions
Pulling from Mexico until Cal-O comes on with sufficient domestic inventory. Heger, from the CA desert (El Centro) saw major difficulties with labor and trucking due to incredible demand, long wait times, and major retainer fees. Domestic Yellows new this week, with Whites and Reds on their tail.
potatoes
Fresh crop Russets should come on the end of May, with strong PNW supply until then. Red Potatoes are back this week.
peas
Welcome to the Comanche Creek and Tutti Frutti show! There will be lots of activity in the next 4-5 weeks. Tutti is the only hoop-house grown fruit, which can often result in cleaner product.
summer squash
CA supply coming on strong with Tomatero and other growers. MX for yellow squash as well as to supplement any potential gaps. Price is coming down as supply increases!
sweet potatoes
Keeping it tight, end of season supply – remember these were harvested in the end of 2021!
tomatoes
Two more weeks of Covilli heirlooms before moving into Wilgenburg as main label. Tutti heirlooms are hopeful for early June. Cherry tomatoes MX until late June.
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