LGS Specialty Sales Introduces Darling Dekos®, a New Chilean-Grown Program for U.S. Trade; Luke Sears and Lucio Rainelli Comment

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - LGS Specialty Sales, a leading importer of citrus, avocados, grapes, and persimmons, is introducing Darling Dekos®, a Chilean-grown Dekopon mandarin program built to add to Dekopon availability in late summer and fall. Sold under the company's Darling® label, the brand's 2026 season marks its trade debut, with fruit shipping from LGS's Chilean growing regions beginning in early August.

For more than a decade, the Dekopon category has followed a fixed winter calendar running from January through April. Existing brands have built strong consumer demand for the variety, known for its sweetness, large easy-peel segments, and signature top-knot shape. Darling Dekos is designed to add to the supply calendar for August through October rather than compete directly with established winter programs, arriving when retailers otherwise have no reliable Dekopon supply.

"Every year, we hear the same thing from retailers: shoppers keep asking for Dekopons long after the season ends, and they have no source of supply," said Luke Sears, Founder and Owner of LGS Sales, in the recent release. "Darling Dekos is the answer to that supply chain challenge. We're not here to compete with the brands that first created demand for this variety. We just want to offer a second window of availability that retailers can delight their shoppers with."

Darling Dekos are grown from the same Dekopon variety U.S. shoppers already recognize, technically known as Shiranui, a cultivar first developed in Japan in 1972. Its signature flavor comes from a balance of high Brix and high acidity, which creates a sweet, bright taste that stands out in the citrus aisle.

Chile also gives the program a seasonal advantage that matters at retail. Because Chile sits in the Southern Hemisphere, its citrus season falls counter to U.S. production, supplying another window for Dekopons in the U.S. market. LGS ships directly into New Jersey, placing the fruit within efficient reach of the retail corridor east of the Mississippi, with West Coast distribution expected to follow as volume grows.

The program is ramping up with an intentional volume ramp-up starting with an estimated 12 containers in 2026 and more than 200 containers by 2030. "This program was designed for the long term," said Lucio Rainelli, director of sales at LGS Specialty Sales. "We've spent years developing these farms, and our production forecast is based on real planted acreage already in the ground, not projections on paper. Retailers who come on board now are getting in early on a program built to support sales growth for years to come."

Darling Dekos is available August through October, with shipping expected to run primarily through mid-September and retail availability extending into October depending on supply. For produce buyers, the program offers a proven, premium variety with a track record of supporting premium pricing, arriving exactly when the category typically has no elevated late-summer option.