<p>Happy Chinese New Year! Canadian retailers are saying the same as the Year of the Horse gets underway, especially as the growing popularity of ethnic produce in traditional grocery stores has been on the rise.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Canadian retailers tell us that in their markets the demographics are rapidly changing and there is more demand today and even more on the horizon for specialty items. Asian wet veg items like gailon, bok choy, napa cabbage have been growing in popularity along with mini Shanghai and baby bok choy. Citrus items including stem and leaf mandarins, tangerines and oranges said to bring luck, wealth and prosperity, are also increasing in demand for Chinese New Year not to mention year round.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Chinese Mini Mandarins, also called Nanfeng or Sugar Rock Mandarin, have a protected status in China and used to be reserved for the Imperial family and other select dignitaries, one Canadian retailer tells us. They are now widely distributed globally. Guava, star fruit, young coconuts and long beans can also be found as an element in the holiday spread. Pomelos, the largest of all citrus fruit and thought to originate from Southern China, are a key element in the holiday lineup with certain varieties also grown in California, Florida and Israel.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Retailers tell us that the importance to celebrate and promote the occasion has become just as important as every other holiday. Now a mainstream celebration, Chinese New Year provides another way for retailers to reach multiple demographics and open the door for expanding their consumer base.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
