REEDLEY, CA - The California stone fruit harvest is underway and Giumarra Reedley has a host of new developments and promotional programs for retail partners. Jeannine Martin, Director of Sales, took a few minutes out of her day to speak with me about Giumarra’s program and what we can expect as we move through the season.
“Our first pack date was April 21st with white peaches,” Jeannine tells me. “We have since picked yellow and white peaches; yellow and white nectarines; white donut peaches; black and red plums; apricots; and our proprietary DulceVida™ red apricots.”
In 2016, Giumarra is expanding its Nature’s Partner DulceVida line of proprietary, high-flavor stone fruit varieties. The company will have more volume of several DulceVida categories this year: red apricots, white nectarines, and yellow nectarines. In addition, the company is offering new clamshell packaging for DulceVida.
She also adds that timing on some varieties is ahead of last year by three to four days. Giumarra’s California stone fruit is grown right in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley near the Kings River and volumes have expanded this year substantially with an additional grower base.
“This gives us well-balanced diversity among our California stone fruit offering for 2016,” Jeannine adds. “This year, one of the bigger challenges has been availability of field labor and the weather has been unpredictable. But, so far the crop and quality looks great and flavor is excellent.”
Giumarra will have stone fruit until October 1st. The end of the stone fruit season will overlap slightly with the company’s California fall persimmons, which begin harvest at the end of September.
