BAKERSFIELD, CA - After early 2026 supply fluctuations, carrot volumes are beginning to rebound—bringing much-needed relief to retail and foodservice partners just in time for spring shopping and meal planning.
“Supply conditions are improving and beginning to better align with demand, putting the industry in a stronger position to consistently service customers moving forward,” Melissa Oliver, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bolthouse Fresh Foods, shares with me. “Earlier fluctuations were largely driven by the extended weather impacts across key growing regions, which impacted both availability and quality. As growing conditions have improved, we’re seeing supply recover. While the current political climate has introduced additional uncertainty, supply is trending in the right direction, and overall conditions are improving.”
As Melissa continues to describe what created the perfect storm in the market at the beginning of the year, she notes that a series of overlapping weather events—sustained fall and winter rains beginning in October 2025, which helped ease drought in California but led to oversaturated fields and difficult harvest conditions—tipped the scales.
“Those difficulties were compounded by extended periods of dense Tule fog, resulting in more than 50 consecutive days with little sunlight during key harvest windows,” Melissa explains. “This slowed crop development and impacted quality, particularly in Kern County. Warmer-than-average winter temperatures in the Desert Southwest introduced additional variability. In the Southeast, late-January and early-February frost events reduced yields after an otherwise strong start. Together, these factors created a prolonged supply disruption across key growing regions, tightening supply and shaping current market dynamics.”
In times of supply chain inconsistency, Bolthouse Fresh Foods works to maintain reliability and quality for its retail and foodservice partners. Maintaining consistent service and quality is a top priority for the operation, especially in more volatile conditions.
“We’re continuously refining our supply planning and focusing on improving yields to better support strong service levels for our customers. At the same time, we’ve strengthened our quality processes across the entire supply chain. That includes expanded field testing, close monitoring throughout plant operations, and oversight at every key touchpoint before product reaches our customers,” Melissa discusses. “We’re also advancing our supply diversification strategy, including expanded production in Georgia, alongside our Desert Southwest and Southeast growing regions. This broader footprint helps us mitigate risk and deliver more consistent supply to our partners.”
The company is constantly reassessing strategies and investments to mitigate challenges such as weather impacts, labor disruptions, and logistics disruptions.
“We’ve taken a multi-pronged approach to strengthen the resilience of our supply network,” Melissa explains. “That starts with diversification and geographic separation, allowing us to reduce risk and limit the impact of localized weather or operational disruptions. We’ve also invested in our infrastructure, including the addition of our new Georgia facility, which enhances our ability to deliver more consistent supply and service. In parallel, we’re continuing to improve supply planning, yields, and operational efficiency across the network, giving us greater flexibility to navigate ongoing challenges and maintain reliability.”
As the market continues to evolve, Bolthouse is strengthening its relationships with customers and positioning itself as a long-term, dependable partner—without a doubt.
“As weather disruptions have improved, we’re leveling our supply to better match demand and deliver reliable service. We’re also continuing to strengthen quality across every step of the process, from the field through to finished product,” Melissa reflects. “On the innovation side, we’ve recently launched Carrot Fries to bring new energy to the category and keep consumers engaged. Alongside that, we’re working closely with our customers on category management, using insights and performance data to optimize assortment, placement, and overall category growth. At the end of the day, it’s about delivering consistency and being a partner our customers can count on.”
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow the markets that impact fresh produce and the categories that define its success.
Companies in this Story
Bolthouse Fresh Foods
Headquartered in California’s Central Valley community of Bakersfield, Bolthouse Fresh Foods™ and its affiliates have…
