BUYER’S NOTES
Updated June 11, 2022
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NEW!
• Peterson Family Farm Regenerative Organic Certified Stone Fruit
• New stone fruit varieties weekly
• Dwelley French, Green Beans, Yellow Wax and Romano Beans
• Pickling Cucumbers
• Breba Black Mission Fig Crop
• Pink Variegated Lemons
• Tomatero Fioretto Cauliflower -
COMING SOON
• Cherries - Pacific Northwest
• New Crop California Garlic -
BACK IN STOCK
• Calo Shredded Carrots mid week
• Orange and Purple Cauliflower
• Thai Coconuts
• Bagged Fingerlings
• Plums
• Yellow Dragon Fruit -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Avocados (larger sizes 40/48)
• Colored Bells
• Celery Hearts
• Hot Peppers
• Sweet Potatoes
• Butternut Squash -
GAPPING
• Rutabaga
• Shallots
• Sunchokes -
WINDING DOWN
• Covilli
• D’Anjou Pears
• Last land of Blenheims Monday -
FINISHED
• Domestic Granny Apples
• Forbidden Blueberries
• Anna’s and Sun Valley Baby Bok Choy
• California Cherries
• Covilli Kabocha
• Spring Onions Terra Firma
FRUIT
Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos! Mango Mania is at the height of consumer demand, better known as SUMMERTIME! In the heat of the summer, while orchards are most copious, MANGO MANIA frenzy ensues! More information on how you can participate in our Vegucation blog.
The weather is heating up around California and temperatures are forecast into the triple digits in many areas. Figs love the hot days and warm nights and are grown mainly in the Central Valley around the Fresno/Madera area to up north of Sacramento in Corning. The California Breba Fig crop is rolling in, also known as the first crop. The breba crop grows on last year’s tree shoots and harvest is usually around the end of May or beginning of June. The first land of Black Mission Figs is coming from Madera in the central San Joaquin Valley. Find out how long the first crop will last in our Vegucation blog. New Specialty Melons include Galia and Hami. Hami Melons are oblong and have netted yellow skins streaked with dark green. They have crisp, juicy, sweet pale apricot-colored flesh and a sweet, floral aroma. Tuscan Melons arriving early this week. All Specialty Melons will be coming out of the U.S.(California/Arizona) this week.
APPLES
It is an import market. Jazz and Envy Club Apples coming out of New Zealand soon. Domestic Granny Smith Apples are done.
AVOCADOS
California Rincon gapping with Eco Farm covering with slight increase in pricing. We may see Peru coming on more than in previous years because of the smaller predictions of California fruit this year.
BANANAS
June-September is the wet season in Colima, Mexico and we are keeping a close eye on quality.
BERRIES
Blackberries: Tomatero will start up in early July. GreenBelle Blackberries (Mexico) has good volume until then.
Blueberries: Forbidden Fruit Blueberries are done for now. California Homegrown season may end early. Colder nights combined with a heat wave made for a short California season this year. We may see a gap before Oregon starts up at the end of June.
Strawberries: California fruit is coming on strong with Tomatero and Sun Valley. Tomatero 2# clamshells offer your customer more fruit with less plastic.
Raspberries: GreenBelle out of Baja in good volume. Very limited California fruit from Sun Valley.
CITRUS
Hyde Oroblanco has great flavor in a variety of sizes. Hyde is still a few months away from Star Rubys. Plenty Star Ruby from Rainbow Valley. Marsalisi Meyer Lemons in good supply. Valencias are delicious for juicing! Full on California fruit from RVO and Fruitworld.
GRAPES
Anthony California Seedless Red Flames and Green Sugarones have great flavor. Black Seedless Roy Grapes continue from Divine (Mexico) The Coachella growing region is transitioning to Oxnard by the end of the week and then moving up to Bakersfield. Sun View and Air Chief will start up their programs in early July.
KIWIs
New Zealand Kiwis have outstanding flavor. Don’t miss the Gold Kiwis! Deliciously sweet without the acidity found in a green kiwi, the Gold Kiwis have 3x the vitamin C of an orange!
MELONS
Mexico is slowing down and bins are very tight with larger sized fruit. Lots of choices on California grown melons - Cantaloupes, Honeydew, Galia, and Hami. California Mini Seedless starting in two weeks out of Bakersfield.
PEARS
Autumn Bartlett for another 3 to 4 weeks. D’Anjou coming to a close. Golden Bosc and Red D’Anjou are back and will carry us for the next few weeks.
STONE FRUIT
California Stone Fruit is in full swing. Burkart, Earl’s exclusive, has started up as well as D.E. Boldt. Great promotional opportunities on large and small yellow Peaches and Nectarines. Ask your Earl’s Sales Rep for information. Dwelley has a few more picks of Blenheim Apricots. Pluots and Plums early varietals steady for a few weeks and then we will get into peak season. Pacific Northwest Cherries are starting up this week with smaller fruit and high prices. We will see decent volume by the 4th of July.
Peterson Family Fruit is the first Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) stone fruit farm in the nation. Be one of the first retailers to offer Peterson Family Fruit. Speak with your Earl’s Sales Rep for more information and learn more here.
stone fruit, continued
Apricots: Blenheims (last land Monday), Hermosa
Yellow Nectarines: Diamond Bright, Honey Fire
White Nectarines: Spring Pearl
Yellow Peaches: June Time Regenerative Organic Peterson Family Fruit, Princess Time, Spring Flame, Country Sweet
White Peaches: Ivory Princess, Ivory Queen
Plums: Red Fortune, Black Splendor
TROPICALS
Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos! Mango Mania is at the height of consumer demand, better known as SUMMERTIME! Download the flyer to find out how you can participate. Tommy Atkins and Ataulfos are in excellent volume. Kents will return in a few weeks.
One more land on the Ecuadorian Yellow Dragon Fruit. Mexico may start in July. Stay tuned! Coliman Intennza Papayas have slowed down with the rainy season and tropical storms moving through southern Mexico. We are keeping an eye on quality.
VEGETABLES
New from Tomatero! Fioretto, which means “little flower” in Italian, is a flowering cauliflower. It is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower. This variety forms a loose head of tiny florets on beautiful pale green stalks. More delicate than your standard cauliflower, the flavor is mildly grassy and faintly sweet. The raw florets are crisp-tender and pair well with creamy dips. Fantastic for roasting, stir fries and pickling. Chop it up for Cauliflower rice, no need to grate or use a food processor. Tomatero is located in the Pajaro Valley, just south of Santa Cruz and 5 miles inland of the California coast. Excellent quality on Coastal View Produce California Asparagus out of Gonzales going through July 4th. Last week for Anna’s Red Cabbage as temperatures reach close to 110 in the heart of the Central Valley. We are fully into California Beans from Dwelley - French, Green, Yellow and Romano. Dwelley Corn will start up by the end of June. Purple and Orange Cauliflower are back in a small way.
ARTICHOKES
Creekside and Ocean Mist will be coming on soon with Artichokes all summer.
BABY BOK CHOY
Lakeside is back in better sizing. Bok Choy remains tight.
BEETS
Sun Valley has a solid program and quality across the board on Red Bunched and Loose.
GREEN BEANS
Fully into California beans. Dwelley French Beans are here! Green Beans are plentiful, while Yellow Wax and Romano Beans are limited.
SWEET BABY BROCCOLI
Tomatero is done with their flush. Lakeside moving into large volumes.
BROCCOLI CROWNS
Sunrise is back to compliment Josie’s and Lakeside.
brussels sprouts
Keeping an eye on quality issues along with limited inventory.
carrots
Sun Valley coming on with beautiful bunched Nantes. Sunrise Nantes are super clean with nice greens. Bunny Luv retail Shredded Carrots back mid-week.
cauliflower
Full offering from Sun Valley - Naked Cauliflower (no plastic), Purple and Orange and Romanesco.
celery
Market remains tight with high prices. Should see some relief as Braga returns to Salinas.
Corn
Calo is wrapping up the week of June 20th with a smooth transition to Dwelley (Brentwood).
Cucumbers
Good volume of Divine Fair Trade Bagged Persians. We won’t see Fair Trade Divine Slicers until the Fall. Euro Cucumbers are looking good.
eggplant
Globe out of Mexico is sporadic. California starting in 1-2 weeks. Specialty varieties start up in August.
fennel
Tomatero Fennel is back to supplement Lakeside.
garlic
California starting up with Harris Fresh soon.
ginger
Two to three more weeks of old crop Ginger and then it will transition to new crop air freight for a few weeks out of Peru.
greens
Lakeside Red Dandelion are back. Sunrise will complement with Red and Green Dandelion. Sun Valley and Tomatero are our two main growers on Chards, Kales and Collards. Excellent quality with cooler weather down on the Central Coast. Fresh Valley and Sunrise to compliment.
herbs
Sun Valley is done with Cilantro. Sunrise done with Curly Parsley for the season. Sunrise will have Italian Parsley for 2-3 weeks. Lakeside and Josie’s will have plenty.
lettuce
Sunrise Little Gems and Tomatero Red Butter is back. Calo Green Romaine looks fantastic from Calo. Romaine Hearts - Josie’s is returning and we are keeping an eye on quality.
kohlrabi
Anna’s vibrant green and purple Kohlrabi.
BELL PEPPERS
Good news! More growers on Colored Bells with better availability and prices will start to come down. California new crop Green Bells out of Bakersfield starting up.
HOT PEPPERS
Remain tight. Jalapeno volume looks better this week.
onions
Red and Yellow Medium Onions back but very tight. Terra Firma is moving from Spring Onions into their Cured Onions as we get into summer.
potatoes
California Russet counts are gapping. The Pacific Northwest is done and there is no product available out of Colorado. Plenty of Russet Bales available.
peas
Tutti Frutti Snap Pea and English Peas pod quality is excellent. Snow Peas are sporadic.
radishes
Black Spanish, Easter Egg, French Breakfast, Red and Watermelon are firm and crunchy!
rhubarb
Montecucco will go for another week or two.
summer squash
California Zucchini supply coming on strong with Tomatero. Comanche Creek Gold Bar, Gold Mine and Sunrise Yellow Crookneck are beautiful. Don’t miss Comanche Creek’s Mixed Varietal Summer Squash.
sweet potatoes
Keeping it tight, end of season supply – remember these were harvested in the end of 2021!
tomatoes
Wilgenburg is in full swing. Tutti Heirlooms are hopeful for early June. Early Girl and Cherry Tomatoes from Comanche Creek coming soon! Anna’s starting with Cherry Tomatoes soon with Readycycle pints. Ambrosio has started with small amounts of Dry Farmed Early Girl Tomatoes.
winter squash
Butternut is tight. Rico XL Butternut is a good value option. Covilli is wrapping up Honeynut. Covilli Kabocha is done.
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