SALINAS, CA - Making the most of the holiday sales boom is easier with an in-depth understanding of current market conditions and dynamics. As Church Brothers Farms recently transitioned most of its categories to growing regions in Yuma, Arizona; Imperial Valley and Holtville, California; and Northern Mexico, I spoke with Vice President of Foodservice Business Development, Ernst van Eeghen for some exclusive market insights.
“Overall, supplies are very tight, and the condition of the quality is good. However, we are seeing lighter lettuce weights and open heads, with little Heart material since we’re harvesting early,” Ernst shares. “Broccoli and cauliflower also have light weights and smaller heads, and volumes are low because growers are cutting early due to the complications we saw at the end of the Salinas, California, season. Crops are maturing slowly due to cold weather in the desert, delaying growth and harvest. Temperatures and demand will be driving these markets in the weeks to come, and we can expect the markets to remain high perhaps even through the holidays.”
Church Brothers Farms has transitioned all of its lettuce and vegetable categories except for sweet baby cauliflower and sweet baby broccoli, which will remain in Salinas. As Ernst shares with me, Church Brothers Farms expects pricing to remain elevated well above averages until the weather starts to warm up again, and markets may continue to be high for at least several weeks.
With the holiday season upon us, Ernst shared some tips for optimizing the supplier’s strong portfolio.
“The holiday season is the perfect time to put our convenience vegetables front and center and feature roast and sauté dishes,” Ernst advises. “Build a destination in your produce set to cross-promote items and create delicious recipe ideas with complementary ingredients like Maple and Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Garlic and Parmesan Roasted Broccoli Florets. The holidays are a great time of year to get people excited about eating healthy, whether they’re looking to add some new veggies to their holiday meals or focus on healthier habits as we enter the new year.”
Keep a tab on all the categories in the produce department with us here at AndNowUKnow.
