-
march highlights
• California Coastal View Produce Asparagus
• March is Equal Exchange Banana Month (Downloadable POS below)
• St. Patrick’s Day - March 17th
• Easter - March 31st -
NEW!
• Coastal View Produce California Asparagus
• Club Apples: EverCrisp and Pazazz -
promotable items
• California Green Kiwis
• Tango and Murcott Mandarins
• Wild River Small Kiwis 16/1# Clamshells
• Mexican Queen Victoria Asparagus
• Covilli Fair Trade Brussels Sprouts
• Covilli Fair Trade Heirloom Tomatoes -
COMING SOON
• Argentinian Bartlett Pears
• Pixie Mandarins
• Pomegranate Arils (Peruvian) first week March
• Ambrosio (Gilroy) Lacinato -
BACK IN STOCK
• Thai Coconuts
• Covilli Green Beans
• Baby Bok Choy
• Horseradish
• Tutti Frutti Snap and Sugar Peas by the end of the week -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Arugula
• Wondercress -
GAPPING
• Burdock
• Jicama
• New Mexican Dried Chile 1# -
WINDING DOWN
• California Garlic
• Buck Unique Varietals -
finished
• Zespri Gold Kiwis
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated February 25, 2024
FRUIT
fruit mARKET update
Pacific Northwest Apples coming out of Controlled Atmosphere have high color, very good pressure and excellent flavor. Mexican Avocados are mature, high in oil content with creamy rich flesh. Excellent value options on smaller sized fruit. The Berry category is looking up as weather improves with good volume on Blackberries, Blueberries (6oz and pints), Raspberries and Strawberries. Offering your customers a variety of Berries is proven to increase sales! Import Bartletts are starting up very soon. They will be very green and hard with a longer ripening time than domestic pears coming out of storage.
LAST CALL FOR BUCK UNIQUE VARIETAL CITRUS!
Marmalade Orange, Mango Orange
Apples
Exciting news on the newest Club Apple Varieties, EverCrisp and Pazazz. Both are very crispy, juicy, and nice full color from top to bottom. Look no further than the SugarBee 88ct US #1 lower color apple with excellent flavor for a value deal.
Everything from Braeburn to a Pink Lady are in good supply with excellent prices for the retail shelves. Apples and Pears are now coming out of CA (Controlled Atmosphere) Storage. Learn more under Earl’s Vegucation.
Avocados
Mexican Avocados are in peak flavor and maturity with high oil content. Eat when fruit has a gentle give.
Bananas
March is Equal Exchange Banana Month. Every purchase matters. Download a cool Banana Hanging Mobile for your produce department as well as a variety of POS cards. POS cards can also be sent with your next delivery. Tell your Earl’s Sale rep!
BERRIES
Blackberries: Tomatero starting up with some fruit. GreenBelle (MX) is plentiful.
Blueberries: Forbidden premium Blueberries have excellent quality and flavor. HGO Blueberries coming on with more volume out of the Central Coast with solid flavor on a value California berry. Pints out of Central Mexico are a good value option. Mix and match sizes to increase sales.
berries, continued
Strawberries: Central Coast fruit from AG Berries are grown under hoop houses with good color, flavor, and long legs.
Raspberries: Ichiban Mexican Raspberries have deep red color and sweet flavor. Look for the word Amai across the top of the clamshell which means “sweet” in Japanese.
Citrus
Grapefruit: Star Ruby Grapefruit RVO peaking on large 36ct sizing. Chandler Pummelos from Haury Farms around for a little longer.
California Limes are a great price for locally grown fruit with nice quality.
Seeing nicer quality on Cara Caras and Navels as we get bigger breaks between storms for fruit to dry out. Flavor is starting to peak.
Buck is coming to an end with their exotic varietals. Don’t miss the bitter Marmalade Orange (also known as Seville Orange), that is excellent for making marmalade. The Mango Orange is characterized by its beautiful ombre color and red ring near the peel. They have little to no acidity and are very sweet with notes of vanilla.
Valencia market out of Mexico is gaining some strength. California will have mostly large fruit which will drive up the prices of smaller fruit out of Mexico, think 113ct choice.
RVO Tangos have really good quality and flavor as the growing region moves from San Diego up to the Central Valley. HGO Tangos have another month and a half with excellent flavor. Bagged Tango and Murcotts are a customer favorite and in good supply through April. Buck Pixie Mandarins are starting up soon.
Sunny Cal Blood Oranges starting up this week, followed by Tangos and Minneolas in the coming weeks. Perfect timing as Doc’s Minneolas come to an end.
California Meyer Lemons continue from Buck.
Star Ruby Grapefruit
grapes
Coming out of Peru with limited availability. Grapes landed in the US are staying on the East Coast. There is no surety on Import Grapes arriving on the West Coast. Mexican Grapes historically start up in early May, weather dependent. California will start soon after in June.
kiwi
California Kiwis from Family Farm and Wild River are in peak flavor. Wild River has a flush of smaller kiwis available in 16/1# clamshells at a great price. A great sell at $3.99 at the retail level.
nuts
California leads the nation in nut production, producing 100% of all walnuts and almonds and 99% of pistachios commercially grown in the United States. Don’t miss our bulk Nonpareil Almonds, Bulk and Pieces/Halves Walnuts and Bagged Pistachios.
pears
First Import Bartlett Pears coming out of Argentina soon. Grown in the Rio Negro Valley where the river flows. Fruit will come in very green and can take 2-3 weeks to ripen up. Golden Bosc, Red and Green D’Anjou in good supply out of Washington CA (Controlled Atmosphere) Storage. Learn more under Vegucation.
tropicals
New from Crespo, the unique Ataulfo Mango Big Box 50-60ct/25#! Ataulfo Mangos have super buttery and creamy flesh. Crespo Ataulfos are tightening up a bit. Look for a flush on all sizes in the coming weeks. Don’t miss the special price on the pretty blushed Crespo Tommy Atkins round mango. Crespo Dried Mangos pack sizes have good availability and are a wonderful snack year-round. Thai Coconuts are back in this week; however we will see some periodic gaps due to transportation time and logistics at the port.
VEGETABLES
veg mARKET update
California Coastal View Produce started up in a small way last week. Weather dependent, we will see more volume come on as the weather stabilizes and warms up. CVP’s unique climate and location in Gonzales is perfect for an extended Asparagus season through July 4th. Mexican Asparagus market has dropped and there are great prices on Queen Victoria Asparagus with sharp quality on 11# and the new 28# value pack.
Covilli returns Sunday with Green Beans in both 15# and 25# packs. We will have good supply through Easter on March 31st. Covilli Heirloom Tomatoes are a wonderful mix of varieties and color and bring that burst of flavor we crave during the winter months. Available in promotable volume.
We are still seeing the effects of the cold weather. Loose Arugula continues to be tight and we are keeping an eye on quality issues such as yellowing of the leaves and mildew. Organicgirl Arugula is going into 10oz Packs and Mixed Salads until they transition back up north to the Salinas/Watsonville growing region by April 1st. Baby Sweet Broccoli is in a very high market due to weather and sizing up slowly. Broccoli and Broccoli Crowns are solid with good supply.
Stay tuned in March for month long promotions on Far West Fungi Fresh Mushrooms now in ReadyCycle compostable packs! Varieties include Shiitake, Maitake, Lion’s Mane, King Trumpet, Mixed Exotic and Oyster.
Asparagus
Mexican Asparagus prices have stabilized. 28# large packs offer a fantastic value deal. Local Coastal View Produce out of Gonzales starting up small due to the weather. Warmer weather and no rain will bring the deal to full speed and take us through July 4th, long after most California Asparagus growers are done.
Artichokes
Local Green and Purple Artichokes from JAS are freshly cut in the Salinas Valley.
green beans
Covilli is starting their new field of Beans and moving forward we will have good supply as we head towards Easter on March 31st.
SWEET BABY broccoli
Very high market due to weather and sizing up slowly.
brOCCOLI & brOCCOLI CROWNS
On the other hand, Broccoli and Broccoli Crowns are plentiful and solid product from Organic Treat.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Clean and sharp quality in promotable volume.
cabbage
Looking great! Good supply on Green, Red and Savoy Cabbage. Anna’s vibrant Red and Green Cabbage is more consistent.
CARROTS
Sunrise Nantes are very sweet and coming out of Buellton.
cauliflower & romanesco
A bit of a challenge to find good volume on all sizes.
celery
Blight, a virus brought on by cold and wet weather, continues to be a problem on Domestic Celery. Look to cleaner product out of Mexico. Tomatero (Watsonville) is starting up soon with Celery and will bring some welcome relief to the category.
cucumbers
Slicing Cucumbers market has tightened up with prices shooting up. Persians in a flush for now.
Garlic
California is winding down with a smooth transition to Argentinian Garlic. Super Colossal will end first, followed by Colossal.
ginger
Mexico 30# Blue Ginger is very tight and there is nothing out of Peru. Expect Ginger to have gaps until Peru starts up with new crop in June.
turmeric
Secret Beach has strong quality out of Hawaii. Fijian Turmeric is little challenged on quality and is a great option for juicing and food prep.
greens
Sun Valley, Tomatero and Lakeside out of Salinas/Watsonville will be coming on with new blocks soon. Currently Capay is doing the lion’s share of the work.
herbs
Basil, Tarragon and Oregano are still tight due to the weather.
lettuce
Red Butter is looking better this week. Lettuce out of the desert is still experiencing some quality issues. Romaine Lettuce may have some epidermal peel. Leafy Greens can tolerate the frost up to a point or they can tolerate a few frosts but then damage shows up. Epidermal peel occurs when the outer layer of the leaf freezes, partially dies and then begins to peel. The leaf will have a translucent look. Read more about quality issues on lettuce due to the cold weather.
mushrooms
Stay tuned in March for month long promotions on Far West Fungi Fresh Mushrooms now in ReadyCycle compostable packs! Varieties include Shiitake, Maitake, Lion’s Mane, King Trumpet, Mixed Exotic and Oyster.
onions & shallots
Onions are in a rough spot. Red and White Onions are done and what we have in house is it until either Mexico or the desert starts up. Mexican White Onions will start up first. Yellow and Sweet Yellow Onions will extend through late April/early May and will have a smooth transition to new growing regions. Shallots are in good supply.
peas
Tutti Frutti may be back with English and Snap Peas by the end of the week.
bell peppers
Choice Bell Peppers are hard to find. Number 1 Bell Peppers in all colors look good.
hot peppers
Poblanos are back in stock. Jalapeños, Serranos and Anaheims are steady. Jalapeños are in a flush with volume opportunities available. Ask your sales rep for more information. This is a great time to make infused olive oil, pickles, spicy drinks, sauerkraut and more.
potatoes
Potatoes are having late season quality issue with some scarring and sprouting. We are keeping an eye on quality. Prices will inch up through the transition in May.
roots
Burdock is gapping. It is very muddy and rainy in Mt. Vernon, WA and they can’t get back in the fields. The season may very well end early.
spinach
Spinach has some quality issues with mildew and pest pressure. We are keeping an eye on quality.
summer squash
Zucchini and Yellow Straightneck Squash are the name of the game.
sweet potatoes
All varieties are steady. Bake or roast for a side dish or cube and blend into a winter soup.
tomatoes
Covilli has a flush of Mixed Heirloom tomatoes with promotional opportunities available. Ask your Earl’s Sales rep for more information. Wholesum Fair Trade tomato program is picking up. Every purchase matters.
winter squash
Plenty of Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, Honeynut, Kabocha and Spaghetti. Special pricing on Honeynut. Small enough for 1 and takes less than 30 minutes to cook in the oven to a nutty sweetness. No butter or brown sugar needed.
FOLLOW THE FLAVOR @EARLSORGANIC ON INSTAGRAM
VEGUCATION CORNER
