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upcoming holidays
• Father’s Day, June 18th
• Fourth of July
• First day of summer, June 21st -
NEW!
• Crespo Mango Mania 2023
• Burkart Stone Fruit, an Earl’s Exclusive
• New stone fruit varieties. Details in the full buyer’s notes
• Comanche Spring Garlic
• Dazzle Apple (NZ)
• Tomatero Basil 24ct
• Purple Snow Peas
• Wellness Pack: Ginger/Tumeric combo 8/1# -
promotable items
• Crespo Mangos (ask about mango bins)
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Apricots
• Peaches
• Mini Seedless Watermelon
• Baby Sweet Broccoli
• Snap Peas -
COMING SOON
• Dwelley Blenheim Apricots this week
• Dwelley Corn end of June
• Cherry Plums a month away -
BACK IN STOCK
• California Bacon Avocados
• Fingerling Potatoes -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Bok Choy
• Broccoli Crowns
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Pink Lady Apples
• Green Beans
• Peppers -
GAPPING
• Juicing Celery
• Lakeside Watermelon Radish
• Russet Potatoes -
WINDING DOWN
• Jazz and Envy domestic Club Apples
• Domestic Pink Lady Apples -
finished
• Tutti English and Snow Peas
• Thai Chiles
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated June 11, 2023
FRUIT
save the date!
Join the 2023 Slow Money Farm Fest on June 17th in the beautiful Capay Valley on Full Belly Farm. Join the Food Funded Community of entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers at Slow Money’s Farm Fest for what promises to be an inspiring investor fair and showcase of curated food and ag-entrepreneurs presenting their businesses and projects. Tour Full Belly Farm and witness their vitally important regenerative farming and organic practices and then relax together on the farm with networking, tastings, libations, and music. Learn more here.
fruit mARKET update
We are off to an excellent start to the Stone Fruit season. California Peaches and Nectarine varieties are arriving weekly. Burkart, an Earl’s Exclusive, landed their first stone fruit of the season, the sweet and juicy Spring Flame Yellow Peaches and Spring Snow White Peaches. Download the Burkart 4x6 POS card to highlight your display. Earl’s sells by the variety. Download Earl’s Stone Fruit calendars and follow the flavor!
Thomson Exotic Specialty Melons have gorgeous orange, yellow and red flesh! Thomson, a family-owned farm, has been growing in Bakersfield for generations. Daybreak Watermelons have eye catching crisp orange flesh with a dark rind. Sunshine Watermelons have an exciting yellow striped rind with eye popping red flesh. Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Bins in good supply! Cantaloupe and Honeydew are back this week in good volume.
On the apple scene Domestic Apples are winding down fast and we are seeing more imports out of New Zealand.
Mango Mania is here! Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos and have a chance to win big prizes! Mango Mania is at the height of consumer demand, better known as SUMMERTIME! Ask for a Marketing packet with educational varietal, cutting, ripening and storage posters and recipe cards now available to highlight your display. Find Mango Mania inspiration with downloadable Crespo educational materials, photos and POS cards.
Now is the time of year when California Lemons tighten up with limited supply and high prices. Look for this continuing at least through June. Stay tuned for updates. Pink Variegated Lemons are a good substitute and are easy to spot by their vibrant green streaks against a bright yellow background. The pretty pink flesh gives a nice burst of tartness and has less seeds than a Eureka lemon. As the fruit matures the green stripes begin to fade and they become less acidic. Limited availability!
Crespo Mango Mania starts Monday, June 12th!
Dried Crespo Mangos
Apples
Utility Apples will start to disappear soon. Kiku Club Apples are done. Fujis and Gala are still going strong. Last of Domestic Granny and Pink Lady. NEW! Dazzle Club Apple (NZ) has a juicy flavor with sweet white flesh and a watermelon-like crunch. We will not see any Import Jazz, due to the cyclone in New Zealand.
Avocados
Rincon is back! Read about their family farm.
Celebrate California Avocados with these delicious recipes.
Bananas
Equal Exchange in Ecuador is moving into their rainy season and hands will be sizing up smaller as Coliman in Mexico enters their summer season and hands will size up larger.
Berries
Blackberries and Raspberries: Coming out of Mexico with good flavor.
Blueberries: California production slowed down due to weather. Pints, 6oz and 18oz are looking better this week.
Strawberries: Tomatero flavor and price will blow you out of the water on 2# and 1# clamshells. Now on Earl’s Weekly Specials.
Citrus
We will see some Marsh and Pink Grapefruits and then back into Star Rubys as the groves transition between blooms. Valencias are the orange to juice in the summer! California Lemons tight until July when Mexico kicks off. Mexico is behind about a week or 2 and supply could be very tight for another 3-4 weeks. Variegated Pink Lemons are easy to spot by their vibrant green streaks against a bright yellow background. The pretty pink flesh gives a nice burst of tartness and has less seeds than a Eureka lemon.
Educational Posters Available
grapes
California Grapes from Coachella will be starting by middle of June. Delano/Bakersfield by the middle of July with Air Chief. A scarce market out of Mexico continues with skyrocketing prices.
kiwi
Delicious Gold Kiwis from New Zealand are sweet with no acidity. New Zealand will start up with Green Kiwis the beginning of July.
melons
Thomson Exotic Specialty Melons have gorgeous orange, yellow and red flesh! Thomson, a family-owned farm, has been growing in Bakersfield for generations. Daybreak Watermelons have eye-catching crisp orange flesh with a dark rind. Sunshine Watermelons have an exciting yellow-striped rind with eye-popping red flesh. Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Bins in good supply! Cantaloupe and Honeydew are back this week in good volume. Mexico is starting to wind down. Coachella Melons will begin to wind down in the 2-3 weeks and the transition to the Fresno area will start in early July. Cal-O may gap on Mini Seedless Watermelons this week while they transition growing regions.
STONE FRUIT
Wonderfully sweet and juicy California Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots and Plums grown in the Central Valley. Varieties change weekly. Burkart, an Earl’s exclusive, has started up with their high quality and flavorful high sugar Yellow and White Peaches. Earl’s has a long relationship with Burkart. Meet the grower, Richard Burkart, on the our partner page.
Frog Hollow Brooks Cherries in a flush for the next 2 weeks. Available by pre-order only.
Crespo Mango Bins
stone fruit, CONTINUED
Plum and Pluot trees have some cold damage from frost in the springs and low pollination with the consistent cold weather in the spring and the bees staying in their hives. We expect to see lots of gaps between harvests.
Apricots: Helena
Cherries: California Rainier, Bing, Brooks, Coral and Sequoia
Yellow Nectarines: Honey Spring, May Bright, Red Haze, Red Ryan, Rose Brite and Zee Fire
White Nectarines: TBA
Yellow Peaches: Spring Flame, Princess Time, Crimson Lady, June Time
White Peaches: Snow Fox, Spring Snow
Plums/Pluots: Red Haven Plum, Flavor Rosa Pluot
tropicals
Mango Mania is here! Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos! Promotional opportunities exist for all sizing. Ask about Crespo Bins! This is a great time to educate, engage, excite and entice customers with this unique mango. We have all the tools and the pricing you need for sales success! Ask your Earl’s Sales Rep for more information, a Mango Mania POS Packet and download digital materials to highlight your display. Stay tuned for information on how you can win prizes in the Crespo Mango Mania Display Contest.
VEGETABLES
veg market update
Lompoc to the Salinas/Watonville region has seen unseasonably cool temperatures and a heavy marine layer that is halting production and delaying crops from sizing up, leading to a disruption in supply. Think Beets, Broccoli Crowns, Celery and Cauliflower. We will see some Purple Cauliflower from Sun Valley this week. Asparagus out of the delta area is winding down. Excellent quality on Coastal View Produce California Asparagus out of Gonzales in the Salinas Valley through July 4th. Dwelley (Brentwood) Corn is a few weeks off with good supply on Cal-O for now. Summer Squash is available in straight packs and a gorgeous Comanche mixed pack. Download Earl’s Summer Squash guide here. The arrival of California Cherry Tomatoes has been slowed down by the cooler weather this June. Stunning Local Greens are plentiful from Sun Valley, Tomatero and more. Tutti is back this week with succulent Snap Peas. Tutti English and Snow Peas are done. Tomatero coming into Basil, Zucchini and Strawberries in a big way.
Comanche Creek Pickling Cucumbers
Asparagus
California Delta Asparagus is winding down. Coastal View Produce Asparagus has excellent quality and plenty of product through July 4th.
Artichokes
Look to Sunrise 12ct/18ct to start off the week.
baby bok choy
Anna’s done with their spring crops until the Fall. Cal-O is back on Baby Bok Choy and Bok Choy.
beets
Beets continue to be limited due to the weather.
varietal beans
Delicious Ambrosia Fava Beans (Gilroy). Dwelley starting Monday with Green Beans and Varietals in a week or two.
broccoli & broccoli crowns
Limited supply due to the cool weather in Salinas.
sweet baby Broccoli
Flush of product with promotional pricing.
CVP Asparagus available through July 4th
brussels sprouts
Covilli coming on with more volume. Look for bags early this week.
cabbage
Napa continues to be on the high side with limited supply.
carrots
Sunrise Nantes are sharp!
cauliflower
Cold weather is slowing down production.
romanesco
Lakeside is back this week.
celery
Sizing up smaller with some quality issues due to the wet spring. Will see some relief when Lakeside starts up in about 2 weeks.
corn
Cal-O done with Coachella and moving seamlessly into Lamont.
cucumbers
Comanche Creek summer items are picking up: Pickling Cucumbers are here, look for Serpent Cucumbers and Gold Nugget Tomatoes soon.
eggplant
Anna’s will start up with their summer crop soon and will have a steady supply of Globe for the summer.
Local Sun Valley Greens
garlic
First land of Mexican Garlic is here, and Argentina product is winding down. California season starts the last week of June.
ginger/tumeric
New Wellness Pack! A combination of Tumeric and Ginger in 8/1# clamshells
greens
Sun Valley and Tomatero (Salinas/Watsonville) coming on stronger with Local Greens with sharp prices.
herbs
Bay Area Compostable Clamshells are back.
lettuce
Red Butter in good supply and price. Sunrise gorgeous heads of Mixed Green and Red Salanova is back.
onions
Tri-Colored Onion Bags back this week.
peas
Snap Peas tightening up as we approach the first day of summer. Purple Snow Peas are so pretty and good for you.
bell peppers
Pricing coming down as Mexico comes on with more product. Will see some overlap with more expensive high quality product out of Canada.
hot peppers
Poblanos are a hit or miss. Jalapeños are back. Thai Chiles are done.
potatoes
Fingerlings are back from Tasteful Selections as well as Calo-O. Russets will continue to gap through June. Supply will open up at the beginning of July.
rhubarb
At the tail end of the season. A few weeks left out of Oregon. Rhubarb is very weather dependent and needs a summer temperature of 75° or below for maximum production. Once the temperatures reach 90° or above the plant will start to wilt.
bunched spinach
May see a gap for about a week until Cal-O starts up in a cooler growing region in the hills above Bakersfield.
summer squash
Crookneck and Straight Neck is limited. Tomatero is in a flush of zucchini. Comanche Creek Summer Squash is rocking. Download our Summer Squash Guide here.
sweet potatoes
Keeping it tight, end of season supply – remember these were harvested at the end of 2022!
tomatoes
Local Cherry Tomatoes are delayed due to the cold weather continuing into June. Comanche Creek (Chico) Gold Nuggets coming soon. A&A Heirlooms (Mexico) in limited quantity.
winter squash
Slowing down and limited availability on all varieties.
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VEGUCATION CORNER
