SANTA MARIA, CA - Grill ’em, sauté ’em, or roast ’em, either way you make ’em, consumers go wild for Brussels sprouts year-round. The popularity of the category creates some challenges; due to the weather events earlier this year, many sprouts growers faced some issues in production. I tapped Crystal Chavez, Marketing Coordinator for Gold Coast Packing, to provide a little insight on the producer’s current harvest.
“Currently, the Brussels sprouts market is very tight. In the Santa Maria Valley area, we are about a month behind schedule, all due to planting delays caused by all the rain we experienced earlier this year,” Crystal tells me. “A 3–4 week gap is expected for sprouts.”
PRO*ACT’s The Source for May 10, 2023, confirms the tight volume, reporting Brussels sprouts are in limited supplies. It noted Oxnard, California, production normally begins the first of May. This been pushed back a few weeks. The market for Brussels sprouts was expected to increase ahead of Mother’s Day weekend.
“To add to the lack of supply, Mexico harvest ended earlier than expected. There are some Brussels sprouts available out of Mexico, but the quality is not ideal,” continues Crystal. “Current pricing is $50 when typical pricing is around $20–$25. This is the tightest we have seen Brussels for a non-holiday pull in a very long time. Brussels sprouts continue to grow in popularity and are no longer just a holiday item, they are now a staple veg!”
A true hot commodity year-round! As we keep an eye on more industry reports, keep a tab open for ANUK.
