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Upcoming Holidays
• Gravenstein 50th Apple Fair this weekend August 12th-13th
• Labor Day: September 4th -
NEW!
• Thomcord Grapes
• Black Mission Figs
• Sunrise Sparkle Proprietary Red Seedless Grape
• Ambrosia, Athena, Canary, Golden Giant and Piel de Sapo and Sharlyn Varietal Melons
• Hosui Asian Pears (Monday)
• Riverdog (Guinda) Starlight Watermelon and Corno di Toro, Purple Bell and Cayenne Peppers
• Crespo Mexican Keitts
• First PNW New Crop Russets -
promotable items
• Black Mission and Brown Turkey Figs
• Black, Green and Red Seedless Grapes
• California Bartlett Pears
• Stone Fruit - Plums and Pluots
• Tomatero (Watsonville) Blackberries
• California Raspberries
• PNW Blueberries 6oz, pints and 18oz
• Mini Seedless Watermelon
• Tomatero 12ct Cauliflower
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Local Monterey County Zucchini (JAS and Tomatero) -
COMING SOON
• Concord Grapes
• California Keitts
• California Kiwis
• Sunrise New Potatoes
• La Granjita Watermelon Gherkins and Cherry Tomatoes -
BACK IN STOCK
• Jicama
• Purple and Orange Cauliflower
• Shallots
• Count Russets -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Limes
• Lemons
• Living Butter Lettuce 3-5 more weeks
• Sweet Potatoes -
GAPPING
• Celery Root
• Sunrise Nantes
• Burdock
• French Breakfast Radish
• Cal-O and Lakeside Bunched Spinach -
WINDING DOWN
• Storage Crop Domestic Apples
• PNW Rival Apricots
• Durst Seedless Watermelon Bins -
finished
• Cosmic Crisp Club Apple
• Peas
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated August 13, 2023
FRUIT
fruit mARKET update
Warmer weather calls for sweet and crunchy Red, Black and Green California Grapes. The superb Red Seedless Sparkle from Sunview is a proprietary variety.
Melon Varietals are coming on in full force to enjoy this warm weekend. Succulent and juicy melons include the Ambrosia, Athena, Canary, Charnetais, Galia, Golden Giant Melon and Piel de Sapo. Download Earl’s Melon Guide. Plenty of Mini Seedless Watermelons and Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Bins to satisfy discerning palates.
California Pluots are in peak flavor with mouthwatering varieties: Dapple Dandy, Flavor King, Flavor Queen and Honey Punch. The PNW Rival Apricot is on their last land. Grab them while you can. California Peaches and Nectarines are in high demand with tight inventory. The southeast region of the U.S. had a total crop failure. While buyers would historically turn to the PNW under these circumstances, the PNW fruit is very limited. Aside from Cherries, total Stone Fruit coming out of the PNW has declined every season for the last 7-8 years. California has increased Stone Fruit production and added varietals that push into October. The PNW can not compete with volumes and pricing coming out of California and many growers are turning their focus to Apples and Pears. In addition, new chains of Co-ops are popping up in the PNW and much of the organic fruit that is being produced in that region is staying up north.
Maywood started harvesting this week with Brown Turkeys and limited Kadotas right now. The Black Missions should ramp up in about a week and Adriatics shortly after. Weather dependent, the season will run into the beginning of October.
mango mania winners announced soon!
The Crespo Mango display contest has wrapped up but there is plenty of delicious, juicy mangos to enjoy. Contest winners will be announced the week of August 14th!
Black Mission Figs
Apples
Celebrate California Gala Apples! Look for POS cards soon to highlight local growers.
It’s Gravenstein Apple time and the season is a short 3 week run so don’t forget this wonderful local Sebastopol grown apple. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gravenstein Apple Fair this weekend August 12-13th.
The first Gravenstein harvest consists of smaller apples. Look to the bulk pack for a good value. The apples are unsized, have good color, no blemishes and offer your customer a quick snack apple or a larger apple to slice up for those back-to-school lunches.
Cuyama California Apple season is just around the corner! Galas and Sweeties will start up the first half of September and Honeycrisp and Beni Shogun Fujis in the latter half.
The Cosmic Crisp is done. Import Envy Club Apple and Domestic Jazz Club Apples are hanging on.
Avocados
The California crop will end quicker than expected with 48ct and 60ct slowing down first, followed by 72ct and 84ct. Marsalisi out of the Northern Avocado growing region has started up with a value opportunity on smaller 84ct fruit.
Bananas
Download Earl’s Banana Handling & Receiving Guide for more helpful tips.
Retail floor dos and don’ts
Do not stack banana hands more than 2-3 layers high due to risk of bruising
Do not down-stack fruit into shopping carts or other items that can bruise or dent fruit
Treat all bananas with care – ALWAYS hand place on shelf and NEVER drop or throw fruit
Berries
Blackberries: Tomatero superb volume of sweet Blackberries for most of August.
Blueberries: HGO production is slowing down out of PNW. Now harvesting large Draper and Legacy varieties.
Strawberries: Watsonville/Salinas is slowing down as the plants tire out. Prices starting to climb.
Raspberries: California fruit is tasting oh so sweet!
Pluots
Citrus
Valencias are the summer citrus - excellent for juicing. They will be ending early due to a wet and cold spring. We may see a gap before transitioning to Mexican fruit.
Argentinian Lemons wrapping up. Mexico starting in about 10 days and look for California Lemons to be back in a better supply this week.
figs
Enjoy the first of Maywood (Corning) Black Mission, Brown Turkey and Green Kadota main and sweeter crop. Brown Turkey and Black Mission also coming out of the central San Joaquin Valley. The season will run through October, weather dependent.
grapes
Thomcord Grapes are a cross between Thompson grapes (crunchy, sweet and seedless) and Concord grapes (deep purple color, classic grape flavor) which gives you the best of both varieties. Now available in recyclable 10x2# tote bags from Fruitworld. Bulk Black and Red Grapes fill your display to the brim. Sunview proprietary Sparkle Red Seedless Grapes are sweet and crunchy!
kiwi
Tail end of Gold Kiwis with incredible flavor at the end of the season. Green Kiwis will have a seamless transition into California fruit in September.
melons
Succulent and juicy Melons include the Ambrosia, Athena, Canary, Charnetais, Galia, Golden Giant Melon and Piel de Sapo. Golden Giant is an elongated, crisp and refreshing Korean style melon. Athena, a muskmelon, has pale orange firm flesh that releases a sweet, floral, and fruity scent when ripe. Download Earl’s Melon Guide.
Plenty of Mini Seedless Watermelons and Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Bins to satisfy discerning palates.
Mixed Melon cut up
pears
The delicious Bartlett grown along the Sacramento Delta will be very green and take a few weeks to ripen. Golden Bosc has a buttery soft and juicy texture. Hosui Asian Pears (Monday) combine the flavor and sweetness of Pears with the crunchiness of crisp Apples. Their mild flavor is sweet and slightly tart.
stone fruit
Peak late season fruit highlights with amazing flavor! We received the last land of PNW Rival Apricots. Late season Peaches and Nectarines have a different character. Eat them while they are firmer. If you wait and eat them when they are too soft, the texture breaks down. Honey Punch Pluots in excellent supply for a few more weeks.
Plums: Red Fortune, Black Friar
Pluots: Dapple Dandy, Dapple Fire, Honey Punch, Flavor King and Flavor Queen
Apricots: PNW Rival while supplies last
Yellow Nectarines: Autumn Bright, Fire Sweet, Grand Bright, Summer Flare
White Nectarines: Regal Pearl
Yellow Peaches: August Flame, Emerson, Sierra Rich, Summer Flame
White Peaches: Snow King and Ice Princess
tropicals
Ataulfos are done and Kents are in good supply with a rocking price on 9cts. Mexican Keitts arrive this week. California Keitts the last week of August. Going into peak Papaya season. Stay tuned for promotional opportunities. The Crespo Mango Contest is a wrap and winners will be announced by the end of next week!
VEGETABLES
veg market update
New crop Russet Potatoes look very beautiful. They are very clean with thin, light skin that is susceptible to skinning when handled. Skinned areas can oxidize and discolor in time.
Retail Tip: Keep inventories tight on new crop russets and refrigerate backstock.
New Fingerling Potatoes from Sunrise will return this week. New potatoes are freshly dug, cleaned and packed without being cured in the field or the cooler. Storage Tip: New potatoes should be stored and displayed under refrigeration to maintain the freshness and quality of the potato.
Fire up the grill! PNW Nottinghamshire Corn is super sharp looking with crunchy sweet kernels. Cook on the grill or boil for a quick 2-3 minutes. Cut the kernels off and mix with slices of roasted peppers, feta and a squeeze of lime. The Pepper category is bursting with sweet and hot varietals. Corno di Toro and Poblano are excellent grilled, sliced and added to salads. Comanche Mixed Sweet Peppers offers a wide variety of fun-colored peppers to make any summer dish pop. New hot peppers this week! Paper Lantern, Habanero and Scotch Bonnet. Have you tried the new Lemon or White Jalapeño? They have a little more heat than the standard jalapeno. Cherry Bombs are great for stuffing and pickling. Download Earl’s Pepper Guide.
Sun Valley (Watsonville) has beautiful fields of Lacinato and Green Kale and Strawberries. Their Purple and Orange Cauliflower returns this week.
Local Cherry Tomatoes have excellent flavor as well as Early Girl and Heirloom Tomatoes. Tutti Frutti Open Field Heirlooms are slow to come on and inventory will be tight the first part of the week. Tutti Winter Squash program has started with Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, Kabocha and Spaghetti.
Burgundy Okra
Asparagus
Promotable volume for the next few weeks.
Artichokes
Lakeside slowing down with more 18ct.
varietal beans
Dwelley Cranberry Beans are hit or miss. Good volume on Dwelley Blue Lake, Wax, Romano and French Beans.
broccoli
Volatile supply with prices rising.
sweet baby broccoli
Lakeside great volume and nice quality.
broccoli crowns
Great quality and supply from Tomatero.
brussels sprouts
Brussels winding down and net bags will disappear.
carrots
Sunrise Nantes continue to gap. JAS has beautiful Nantes to help fill the gap.
cauliflower
Tomatero in a flush of 12ct. Good value on Naked Cauliflower!
romanesco
Abundant from Lakeside for the next few weeks.
celery
Really nice quality and steady pricing through August.
eggplant
Varietals from G&G first generation family in Chowchilla. Globe, Calliope (small white and purple oval Indian eggplant) and Orient Charm (long Asian eggplant that is pinkish purple in color) join the Paloma White (thin skinned white eggplant with a mild sweet flavor and creamy texture) from Comanche Creek and Japanese from JAS.
Zucchini
greens
Cal-O will have a steady supply of Chards while Sun Valley and Tomatero are gapping.
herbs
Local Tomatero Basil in large fragrant bunches in excellent supply.
leeks
Tomatero out of Watsonville good quality and clean white stalks.
lettuce
Red Butter continues to be limited as growers transition growing regions. Romaine Hearts are solid. Living Butter Lettuce is still limited as they repair their production facility.
leeks
Ralph’s and Tomatero steady supply.
mushrooms
New from King of Mushrooms, a full lineup of Foraged Wild Crafted Dried Mushrooms: Porcini, Black Trumpet, Candy Cap, Chanterelle Golden, Forest Blend, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Morel, Reishi and Turkey Tail. Stay tuned for a mushroom guide soon!
okra
Green and Burgundy are available now!
onions
River Road Shallots coming out of Firebaugh. Peri & Sons transitioning to Yerington Nevada in September. Will see some Cippolini in mid-September.
bell peppers
Starting to see some California Red Bells.
Comanche Large Sweet Peppers available in a 10# case with a fun variety of colorful peppers. Varieties may include:
Midnight Snack
Candy Cane
Purple Islander
Gypsy - Orange, Red, Yellow
Corno Di Toro - Yellow, Red
Pimento
Lipstick
Green Italian Frying
Patchwork
Shishito Peppers
hot peppers
New Hot Peppers this week! Paper Lantern, Habanero and Scotch Bonnet. Have you tried the New Lemon or White Jalapeño? They have a little more heat than the standard jalapeno. Cherry Bombs are great for stuffing and pickling. Download Earl’s Pepper Guide.
Sunrise Habanero Bulk Pack coming in September.
potatoes
New Crop Russets should be kept a limited time at room temperature. They are susceptible to skinning and sprouting. They are really beautiful and a great eating potato!
Sunrise ‘New’ Potatoes will return this week. New potatoes are freshly dug, cleaned and packed without being cured in the field or the cooler. Storage Tip: New potatoes should be stored and displayed under refrigeration to maintain the freshness and quality of the potato. Now harvesting Amarosa and Austrian Crescent New Fingerling Potatoes. New Purple Fingerlings may be ready soon.
summer squash
Tomatero and JAS Local Zucchini at a great price. Ask about promotional opportunities. Comanche (Chico) Mixed Summer Squash is packed with fun varieties. Download the Summer Squash Guide here.
sweet potatoes
New crop coming late August/early September.
tomatoes
Tutti Frutti Open Field Heirlooms are slow to come on and inventory will be tight the first part of the week. Tutti Frutti will get into big volume at the end of August.
winter squash
Tutti rounding out his Delicata, Spaghetti and Acorn offering with Butternut. More fun varieties to come as we get into Fall.
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