ST. LOUIS, MO - The favorite summer fruit of many and a staple in desserts, salads, drinks, and snack packs, strawberries continue to drive some of the consumer’s most memorable eating experiences. As we break into the second half of August, I turned to Seven Seas—a division of Tom Lange Family of Companies—to find out the latest and greatest on category quality, forecasts, and market conditions.
“We are currently at the tail end of our fall-planted Santa Maria, California, crop and getting started on our summer plantings. Volumes are on target compared to our forecasts, and quality is excellent on both fall and summer plantings,” Brent Scattini, Vice President, West Coast, shares with me. “Prices have generally been lower than anticipated through the summer months, though that is improving as we get closer to schools re-opening.”
For the strawberry category at retail, overall demand has appeared to be lighter than expected over the last few months for Seven Seas, though change is in the wind.
“We are starting to see a shift, and increased promotional activity has been helpful,” Brent adds. “There are many things impacting the market at present. High transportation, distribution, and labor costs probably have a lot to do with lower demand. Fuel costs and inflation are impacting both retail price points and consumer demand as well.”
While all produce categories are experiencing the volatility of today’s market and rising production and operating costs, strawberries are combatting the challenges with amazing quality and flavor, though there are some challenges with fall-crop organic sizing.
“Tom Lange and Seven Seas will have ample supplies in the coming months and are prepared for another great season for its 2022–2023 Central Mexican programs. We produce and ship year-round, and have vertical integration in both California and Mexico,” Brent details.
This vertical integration is what allows Seven Seas to thrive, from logistics and transportation to retail solutions and hands-on crop insights.
While the shifting ground beneath our feet may change our fresh produce markets from day to day, Seven Seas ensures that its commitment to quality and customer service are steadfast and future-forward—driving success one strawberry at a time.
