GREENCASTLE, PA - The crisp and refreshing bite of juicy watermelon elevates any summer day. For grocers looking to supply their shoppers with a high-quality abundance of the delicious fruit, you’ve struck gold, as Progressive Produce’s division Keystone Fruit Marketing is reporting a successful 2021 Washington-grown watermelon season.
“The Northwest has had a mild to warm spring, which provided ideal conditions for our transplants to get a jump on vine growth and first fruit sets in early June,” said Shawn Riker, Sales and Commodity Manager. “As a result, we’re starting our season again during the first full week of July, which is consistent with historical norms.”
The Northwest and Western Canada see surges of demand in the summer months, according to a company release. To meet this demand, Keystone offers seedless and seeded watermelons in bins and cartons, available until late September.
“There was a big push for Canada Day on July 1, and the Fourth of July. Then we’ll see a lull as volume pulls through and similar pushes again for August 1 and Labor Day,” added Riker. “We like to encourage promotions as a local crop around mid-July and push for these first-of-month promos that align with our peak production during late July and early August.”
Summer is here, and there is no doubt your shoppers will be flooding the produce department in search of delicious watermelon, so be sure not to disappoint.
