Crystal Valley Foods' Katiana Valdes Talks Holiday Outlook and Promotable Ideas for French Beans, Asparagus, and More

MIAMI, FL - When it comes to holiday prep, one-stop shops are a destination of convenience for all. This, Katiana Valdes, Marketing Director for Crystal Valley Foods, recently pointed out to me, includes buyers looking to diversify the produce department.

Luckily, the grower has fresh holiday shopping lists checked twice across multiple categories, including blueberries, French green beans, pomegranate arils, and green and white asparagus.

“All these items have good demand and supply during this time of year,” Katiana told me. “Retailers can create fun holiday-themed areas and cross-merchandise these items with other seasonal staples. For example, French beans with crispy onions and cream of mushroom soup, for a casserole idea, asparagus with meats, lemon, bacon, or hollandaise sauce, and pom arils with cheeses or champagne.”

Diving in further, Katiana explored with me a few of the Crystal Valley team’s favorite holiday ways to enhance displays and capitalize on festive trends like health-conscious feasting and premium entertaining.

French Beans

As is typical during this season, Crystal Valley always expects good volume but high demand during the holidays. To help balance the scales, the grower offers organic and conventional French beans in a variety of sizes.

“French beans shine for their consistent quality and supply, especially during the holidays when shoppers seek fresh, versatile sides for family meals and entertaining,” Katiana said, treating me to some tasty trivia. “This year is the 70th anniversary of the Green Bean Casserole, a favorite dish to serve from Thanksgiving through Christmas in the U.S. French beans are the perfect upgrade for the iconic casserole. They’re slender, tender, more flavorful than standard green beans, and hold their shape beautifully.”

Green and White Asparagus

Peruvian asparagus is typically at the end of its peak in November, making it a good time of year to show off this delicious and healthy holiday side. Both colors are easy to pre and cook during a hectic time of year, with white asparagus offering a unique and special option to supply and highlight during the holidays.

“White asparagus offers a little excitement to your asparagus lineup as well as good margins,” Katiana said, sharing that white asparagus for the U.S. market is produced in Peru, with Crystal Valley being one of its top importers. “Historically, white asparagus has been predominantly consumed in the European market, however, the holidays are a great time to display and promote the delicious and elegant veggie in the United States.”

Pomegranate Arils

Another vibrant color to add to the fresh department is the deep red of pomegranate arils. Crystal Valley offers 4.4 oz cups for retail, as well as 1 kg bags for foodservice customers.

“Demand and supply are typically good for the holiday season. These add the perfect pop of color and crunch for festive holiday sides, cocktails, apps, and desserts. Consumption continues to grow for this superfood, and the best part is that they are now available in convenient cups so consumers don’t have to worry about how to cut or prepare a whole pomegranate,” Katiana explained.

Blueberries

Our industry has performed a blue miracle in ensuring this berry is now a year-round favorite, with special plentifulness and possibilities around the holiday season.

“Demand is good during the holidays as consumers use them in baking, for garnishes, and even for healthy snacking in between the festivities! We are receiving our last arrival from Peru in mid-December and will start with Chilean blueberries around the same time,” Katiana concluded.

With so many produce possibilities to deck every holiday opportunity with, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on ways to inspire consumption this giving season as we count down toward 2026.