YUMA, AZ - While the summer heat may leave people sweating, one hundred days of 100-degree weather is expected to lead to a strong, delicious harvest from Bard Valley, as it prepares to launch its Natural Delights® date season. With such exceptional conditions, the grower has been able to create thousands of local jobs and has even worked toward changing its environmental impact.
“The date harvest is about so much more than dates,” explains David Baxter, Brand Manager. “Our growers are proud of the quality fruit they produce, but, more importantly, they are proud to be able to provide so many jobs, especially during a time when jobs are scarce.”
The team at Bard Valley is preparing to handle over 30 million pounds of its Medjool dates—the anticipated harvest for this year’s production. According to a press release, those working at Bard Valley harvest use proprietary equipment to ensure careful processing of dates that are then sent to a grower-owned facility where they are inspected with the strictest standards enforced. This ensures that only the highest quality, size, flavor, and texture of dates make it to customers.
“The date category is unique because dates are fresh and predominately located in the produce section,” explained Baxter. “Dates are so versatile they can be eaten right out of the container or as a recipe ingredient substituting refined sugars while enhancing the flavor. There was a time when dates were mostly purchased as a holiday treat, but now consumers are using them every day in smoothies, snacks, recipes, and for pre- and post-workouts. It's the perfect item to cross merchandise with other sections and products at retail because of its many uses.”
Those at Bard Valley are excited for the upcoming season as the date category has continued to grow over the years. With Q2 sales for 2020 increasing by 8.1 percent with $31 million in sales for the period ending June 18, 2020, Bard Valley employees are anticipating even greater growth as the season continues.
With the launch of its new Dark Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates with Sea Salt, those at Bard Valley believe consumers will continue to come clamoring. A recent Date Shopper Segment found that most date shoppers spend $40 per year on the produce item, but Bard expects that with new products, they will be enticed to spend even more.
“We are excited about our new season,” Baxter states. “In addition to employing thousands of people in order to ship the best Medjool Dates, we have replaced our packaging and are now using recycled green tubs made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled material. We also implement water conservation and sustainable energy to reduce our environmental impact.”
As Bard Valley continues to grow and expand, its commitment to the environment and sustainability has advanced along with its new product offerings. The new containers for its dates will be not only recyclable, but will help elevate the company’s sustainability efforts—something that has evolved to become more relevant in the eyes of consumers.
While Bard Valley prepares for its upcoming season, what other products and innovations will we see for the company and its category? I, for one, look forward to finding out.
