NOTES BUYER’S Buyer’s Notes Week of January 8th new • Meiwa and Nagami Kumquats arriving next week from Cunningham. • Beautiful Bunched Red Carrots from CALO. COMING SOON • First Artichokes of the year from Spade and Plow will arrive Monday. inventory challenged • Thai Coconuts are very limited for the next few weeks as we wait for the fruit to size up. Of www.earlsorganic.com Office 415.824.7419 Fax: 415.824.7819 MARKET UPDATE Some citrus growers stopped harvesting and packing for a few days during the heavy rains in the growing regions of the Central San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County. It is better to wait until the quality and condition of the fruit is restored after a few dry days. Early week we can look forward to another land of Page, Fremont and Satsuma Mandarins (with and without stem and leaf), Minneolas and the small, very sweet Kishu Tangerine. AVOCADOS Now is the time to start thinking creatively about Super Bowl promotions! Larger fruit remains in good supply but price will be more stable. The size coming out of Mexico is peaking on 60ct, which will be a focus size for the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LII takes place on Sunday, February 4th in Minneapolis at the U.S. Bank Stadium. Super Bowl Fun Facts: • 100,000 tons of Mexican Avocados are consumed in the U.S. during Super Bowl week. • That is enough avocados to fill a football field at least 12 feet deep! • 12% of the annual avocado consumption in the U.S. happens this week. • The United States eats more food on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year except Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Transcript
NOTESBUYER’S
Buyer’s Notes Week of January 8th
new• Meiwa and Nagami Kumquats arriving next week from Cunningham.
• Beautiful Bunched Red Carrots from CALO.
COMING SOON• First Artichokes of the year from Spade and Plow will arrive Monday.
inventory challenged• Thai Coconuts are very limited for the next few weeks as we wait for the fruit to size up.
MARKET UPDATESome citrus growers stopped harvesting and packing for afew days during the heavy rains in the growing regions ofthe Central San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County. It is better to wait until the quality and condition of the fruit is restored after a few dry days. Early week we can look forwardto another land of Page, Fremont and Satsuma Mandarins(with and without stem and leaf), Minneolas and the small, very sweet Kishu Tangerine.
AVOCADOS Now is the time to start thinking creatively aboutSuper Bowl promotions! Larger fruit remains in good supply but price will be more stable. The size coming out of Mexico is peaking on 60ct, which will be a focus size for the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LII takes place on Sunday, February 4th in Minneapolis at the U.S. Bank Stadium.
Super Bowl Fun Facts:• 100,000 tons of Mexican Avocados are consumed in the U.S. during Super Bowl week.• That is enough avocados to fill a football field at least 12 feet deep!• 12% of the annual avocado consumption in the U.S. happens this week.• The United States eats more food on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year except Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Apples: Plenty of opportunities to promote apples fromWashington. Braeburns, Cameos, Envy, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jazz, Pacific Rose, Piñata and Pink Lady are available with steady supply, great flavor, excellent quality and condition and the lowest prices we have seen the last few years.
Honeycrisp, while still available, are in low volume and will probably see an increase in price in the next few weeks. We still expect to enjoy them well into February.
Cuyama Orchards from Santa Barbara County still hasplenty to offer. Their super sweet Fuji and beautiful Pink Ladys are available in tray pack and bags. Biodynamic Apples from Mt. Hood Organics are approaching the end of their season with Ambrosias.
Avocados:We experienced some delayed shipments of MexicanAvocados in the first few weeks of the Electronic LoggingMandate going into effect. Read more about the ELDMandate here http://bit.ly/2lTdqPx
The situation has now corrected itself and we have plentyof green and pre-conditioned Hass Avocados on hand withmore arriving next week. Fuerte Avocados will be availablesporadically. California fruit is becoming more available;however, we at Earl’s feel that Mexican fruit is superior inmaturity and oil content. Smaller sizes of out Mexico areset to be very promotable up to the Super Bowl. See moreon page one.
Bananas:Cooler weather in Mexico has slowed down the production of Bananas. We will continue to bring in other organic banana labels to help supplement supply until Coliman production is back in full swing.
Berries:Blackberries: Rancho Don Antonio Blackberries are under hoops and there is still some production. The majority is still out of Mexico and the quality continues to impress. Up to now this has turned out to be a very good “off season” berry year. Blueberries: California Blueberry production remains strong with Santa Maria to the Ventura area in production. There have been some complications with the environmental conditions. There continue to be blueberries brought in from the Southern Hemisphere. Strawberries: The Salinsas, Watsonville and Santa Cruz, “local” Strawberry deal is essential over with the rains and cold weather. The majority of production is transferring to Oxnard, Orange County and Baja. That is your seasonal winter strawberry. No reason to buy Southern Hemisphere strawberries. Raspberries are coming out of Guadalajara, Mexico. Both Twin Rivers and Paradise will be back next week.
– FRUIT –Citrus:
Navel Oranges are outstanding this week. Excellent sugar content along with promotable prices and volume are making them a very attractive item to promote. Size is peaking in bigger fruit this year so best opportunities are in 32 and 40ct.Cara Cara are in good supply, also peaking in big sizes.Moro Blood Oranges are available in limited numbers. We expect better supply to be available at the end of the month.Early Sweets Valencias from Mexico are in good supply, however, trucking from Nogales AZ is very challenged due to the implementation of the ELD.Lemons are now mostly coming out of the Coastal regionsof San Diego County with excellent quality.Persian Limes market is moving up in price as the oldcrop finishes and the new crop is just now starting. We expect a stronger market for Super Bowl. Advance booking highly advisable. Meyer Lemons are abundant and cheap. Great time to promote.High Color Star Ruby Grapefruit is in great supply just in time for diet season. Fruit eats great and looks fantastic.Minneola Tangelos are here! Good looking fruit with very good flavor right from the beginning. Mandarins had their volume affected by the rain in the growing regions but as soon as the fields dry, harvest and packing will resume. We expect better volume of Satsumas next week with Murcotts about 2 weeks away. Page, Freemont and Tangos are also available.Buddha Hands, Kishus and Nagami Kumquats will be available in low numbers next week.Pummelos are in good supply and are expected to be available for Lunar New Year promotions.
Melons: Galia and Harper Melons from Baja California in Mexico are now available. Fruit looks great, has beautiful internal color and great flavor. Next week we will also have Mini Seedless Watermelons.
Pears:Domestic Bartlett Pear season is over and Imports expected in March. Good news is there are plenty of D’Anjou, Bosc, Concorde, Red D’Anjou and Comice. Asian Pears are down to only Shinsetsu from Kingsburg, CA.
Tropicals:Kent Mangoes from Perú will be available in better numbers and lower prices next week as more containers arrive into the port of Los Angeles.Pineapples will move up in price next week and Formosa Papayas will remain steady.
Asparagus: Limited quantities of Asparagus from Mexico will be back next week.
Green Beans from Covilli will be back early next week.
Brussels Sprouts in bags and 10# cases are looking good.
Carrots: New! Red Bunched Carrots from CALO. Ellwood Nantes will continue to be consistent this week. Check our Weekly Specials!
Tomatero: Back into some really nice Tomatero product out of the Salinas area with Cauliflower, Kale, Watermelon Radish and stunning Purple Top Turnips!
Red and Green Little Gems back next week fromThe Garden of…
Orange and Purple Cauliflower: Beautiful Orange and Purple Cauliflower from Las Hermanas will continue next week.
Cucumbers: Slicers will return next week. Euro and Persian Cukes are plentiful.
Bell Peppers: Colored Bells are plentiful.
Snap Peas: Ellwood Snap Peas back by the end ofnext week.
Summer Squash: Zucchini prices have gone through the roof. No Crookneck Squash available.
Tomatoes: Cluster Tomatoes are limited. We will have a little for Monday. Covilli Mixed Heirlooms are peaking with promotable volumes. You don’t want to miss these beautiful mixed varieties.
Winter Squash: Covilli Acorn Squash is beautiful!
Market Update The end of January, beginning of February is peak production for the desert growing regions of Cochella and Yuma, AZ.
Weather conditions have been very good and we can expect strong product quality coming out of these areas.
