The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Oxnard

Quality: Quality is good with 95-100% color and nice shape and sheen. 

Volume: Production is steadily increasing as peak weeks begin.    

Pack Counts: Conventional: 12-14, 16-18, depending on ranch

Santa Maria

Quality: Conventional and organic quality is good, with occasional misshapen fruit. Frequency of misshapen fruit is decreasing with each harvest.  

Volume: Production is increasing steadily week over week.    

Pack Counts: Conventional spring crop: 10-14; Organic spring crop: 12-16, 16-20; Organic fall crop: 25-32

Watsonville/
Salinas

Quality: Organic quality is good with nice color and sheen.  

Volume: Organic production is slowly starting. Conventional production has not yet started but shows strong flower and green fruit sets.  

Pack Counts: Organic: 16-18

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some soft and shriveled fruit due. Crews are doing a good job keeping packs clean.  

Volume: Volume is decreasing slightly for both conventional and organic fruit.

Oxnard

Quality: Quality of this organic crop is good with occasional soft or moldy fruit. Harvest crews are doing a good job keeping packs clean. 

Volume: Production is increasing toward peak volumes.

Georgia

Quality: Quality of conventional fruit is great. 

Volume: Production is increasing towards peak volumes in the next 1-2 weeks.

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some overripe fruit due to warm weather.  

Volume: Production is steady. 

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some overripe fruit due to recent warm weather.  

Volume: Production is steady.

LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Now in its 5th year, the California Giant Chef Invitational is a nationwide culinary competition that calls upon chefs to think outside the box and create innovative, original dishes featuring fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries as the hero of the plate. Don’t miss your opportunity to demonstrate your skills and compete in the event for the title of California Giant Berry Farms Top Chef. Submit your recipe by 11:59 PM on 3/31/23.

For more information on how to apply to the 2023 California Giant Chef Invitational and to read the complete guidelinesclick here!

CPMA

Apr 23rd – 25th
Vancouver, BC

Organic Produce Summit (OPS)

July 10th – 11th
Monterey, CA

IFPA Foodservice Conference

July 25th – 26th
Monterey, CA
Booth #617

SEPC Southern Innovations

Sept. 12th – 14th
Nashville, TN

 

IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show

Oct. 17th – 18th
Atlanta, GA

A berry nice note from a California Giant Berry Farms shopper:

“Great product! My kids love strawberries and I’ve purchased these for them and they are the best strawberries I have found in the area. Kudos to you!”

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