Posts Tagged “berry shipments”
U. S. berry shipments from one coast to the other in the first half of the summer’ were good and strong volume is expected for the last half of the season as well.
California strawberries loadings are strong in California, and blueberries now are now being shipped from California, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. Blackberries and raspberries are available from the East Coast, California, Washington and Oregon.
Bobalu Berries based in Oxnard, CA reports strawberry movement remains strong in the late summer for the company which ships product the year around.
The firm has been shipping its spring crop from Santa Maria, CA., and its late-summer volume was expected to kick in during August when the fall strawberry crop begins.
Oxnard will follow with a fall strawberry crop extending into 2025.
California Giant Berry Farms headquartered in Watsonville notes great quality and flavor for its strawberries from the Watsonville/Salinas area.
The company’s has just completed its strawberry season in Santa Maria.
As of the week ending July 6, California growers had shipped 131,827,552 trays of strawberries. That’s up from 109,085,918 trays at the same time a year ago and up from about 128 million trays in 2022, according to the California Strawberry Commission, based in Watsonville.
Gem-Pack Berries of Irvine, CA sources summer strawberries from the Watsonville/Salinas and Santa Maria regions; raspberries from Watsonville and the Mexican state of Baja California; blackberries from Oxnard, CA., Watsonville and Tennessee; and some blueberries from the Pacific Northwest.
Gem-Pack will have organic strawberries from Watsonville as late as October and sources organic and conventional raspberries from Baja California nearly year-round.
Berry shipments should remain steady into August, when volume will start to decrease.
Concerning blueberries, Consalo Family Farms of Vineland, N.J., is transitioning from New Jersey to grower partners in Michigan.
Consalo Family Farms also has a growing organic blueberry program and continues to expand blueberry varietals.
Cal Giant reports blueberry quality out of the Pacific Northwest is “good” on conventional and organic product. Blueberry quality out of Mexico also is good, although there is some scarring and shriveling fruit due to hot weather.
Watsonville raspberry shipments are reported steady with good quality, according to Cal Giant. Good quality is reported from Mexico.
Blackberry quality is good from Watsonville is with steady volumes, which are now increasing.
North American Blueberry Council. of Folsom, CA reports U.S. blueberry production is expected to reach 700 million pounds this year, up from 637.2 million pounds in 2023.
An exceptional summer blueberry shipping season would follow Georgia’s record volume last year with an even bigger crop — 115 million pounds — in 2024.
North Carolina’s volume is down slightly from last season, but quality is great. Likewise, New Jersey and Michigan are set for a strong season with excellent pollination and fruit set. Additionally, growers in the Pacific Northwest anticipate a larger crop than last year.
Fresh volume out of California could be off because of lan anticipated heat waves materialize during the second half of the Golden State’s blueberry season.
Overall, quality of U.S. blueberries is expected to be good this summer.
Naturipe Farms of Salina, CA will have blueberries from New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon and Washington. The company reports exceptional quality and flavor.
Naturipe also sources blackberries from Georgia, North Carolina and California and sources raspberries from central Mexico and the country’s Baja California region.
Consalo Family Farms of Vinenland, NJ recently expanded a packinghouse at its Egg Harbor City, N.J., blueberry farm. The company offers New Jersey blueberries starting in early June but offer berries year-round.
Gem-Pack Berries of Irivine, CA sources raspberries out of Baja California, California’s Watsonville/Salinas growing region and Oxnard, CA.
The grower/shipper reports the quality and flavor of Watsonville raspberries have been awesome.
Naturipe notes it will have significant volume of new acres of its new proprietary blueberries in all of its blueberry-growing regions, resulting in higher volume this year.
California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA is forecasting big volume and shipments for domestic blueberries this season.
“We’re forecasting a strong harvest of domestic conventional and organic blueberries in the immediate months, from several different growing regions including California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. This will all be followed by a large blueberry crop coming from the Pacific Northwest growing regions in early July,” shared Thomas Smith, director of sales at California Giant Berry Farms.
Conventionally grown Florida blueberries have recently begun harvesting and peak volumes are expected by mid-to-late April. Georgia production started in early April and will hit peak production in early May. Concurrently, the North Carolina growing region will add to volumes that bolster the southeast season.
Promotable volumes from the opposite side of the states—California’s Central Valley—will provide ample supplies of fresh blueberries from mid-May through mid-to-late June.
California Giant’s Oxnard California organic blueberry crop has been harvesting since early 2024 and hit peak production volume in early April, before a steady decline in May. The Central Valley organic blueberry crop will begin peak production in late April with production continuing through May.
“We’re on the right track to have a very good supply of high-quality blueberries throughout the domestic season,” added Smith.
Through the shared industry goal to drive significant increases in blueberry consumption, California Giant continues to deliver the best berry experience by providing a year-round supply of sustainably grown fresh berries that represent the highest standards for quality and consistency.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA GIANT BERRY FARMS
At California Giant Berry Farms, our year-round supply of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries set the standard for quality and consistency and provides retailers, foodservice, and consumers with the best berry experience. Over four decades, we have evolved into a global
family united by a passion for delivering excellence.
From Florida to Georgia and the Carolinas growers and shippers of berries are optimistic for an excellent shipping season.
Naturipe Farms of Salinas, CA grows blueberries in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida and blackberries in Georgia and North Carolina.
The company has blueberries from February through June in Florida, April through July in Georgia and May through July in North Carolina. Naturipe also grows blackberries from May through July in Georgia and June through August in North Carolina.
Excellent quality is expected.
Gem-Pack Berries of Irvine, CA grows strawberries in the Plant City and Dover areas of Florida and in Fort Meade from mid-November to mid-April.
Despite a few weather issues, the company is seeing a very good crop.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami sources blackberries and blueberries from Florida and Georgia from March through June. The company is just starting its Florida berry season and Georgia will start at the end of March or the beginning of April.
The company ships most of its berries to foodservice customers and some retail outlets.
Always Fresh Farms of Plant City, FL saw its strawberries peaking in February and had an early start on Florida blueberries a couple of weeks ago.
The company was seeing a nice crop set up in Georgia on blueberries and blackberries, but that was still a number of weeks away.
Naturipe of Watsonville, CA will have strong supplies of berries throughout the spring and summer of 2023 from different growing areas.
The company was underway in early May with peak supplies of California strawberries that will last through the summer months. Good volume should continue as well with blueberries this spring and summer.
Naturipe blueberries will source from diversified farming regions in the spring, which include Mexico, California, Florida and Georgia, and then will transition in the summer months into its farms from New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
The company will continue to have good raspberry volumes from its farming regions across Mexico. Blackberries are now in peak supplies from Georgia and North Carolina farms for late spring and early summer.
Schiller Park, IL – Optimal temperatures and growing conditions are resulting in peak production of Sun Belle blackberries and Green Belle organic blackberries from central Mexico through late May. Premium proprietary varieties Aketzali and Amelali, as well as the new Erandy variety, provide consumers with large, shiny, flavorfully sweet blackberries.
“The sunlight and beautiful spring weather on our farms are producing abundant volumes of extra sweet berries, sure to delight consumers and move retail sales,” said Sun Belle President and Founder Janice Honigberg. “Packed on the farm, our blackberries then go to one of our five distribution centers where they are carefully inspected to ensure the highest quality product for our retail partners and their customers.”
Sun Belle markets and distributes blackberries year-round. The company imports the Aketzali, Amelali and Erandy varieties from Mexico from August through mid-June, and markets excellent University of Arkansas varieties from Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey and Arkansas throughout the summer.
SUN BELLE and GREEN BELLE are leading brands of premium quality conventional and organic blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, golden berries, cranberries, pomegranate arils and red currants. Sun Belle operates five distribution centers nationally, including Schiller Park, Illinois; Jessup, Maryland; Oxnard, California; Miami, Florida; and Laredo, Texas.
California Giant Berry Farms is expecting big volumes of a full berry patch led by the vigorous Florida and Southern California strawberry shipments.
“Florida strawberries are currently hitting their peak. We’re seeing a week-over-week increase in top quality fruit, and we’re expecting solid volumes out of Florida through late March,” said J.T. Tipton district manager at California Giant Berry Farms.
“Simultaneously, mild winter weather conditions, coupled with healthy plants have pushed our Southern California strawberry supply about 15% ahead of where it was last year at the same time.”
However, Tipton echoes industry-wide challenges that have plagued produce since the start of the pandemic. Inflation, labor issues and logistics are still problematic, despite Florida peaking and Southern California’s peak volumes being on the horizon.
“We’re anticipating peak volumes out of Oxnard to start in late March and throughout April. Santa Maria is not far behind with their peaks anticipated in April throughout May,” he said.
Watsonville and Salinas started harvesting in early March and is expected to hit its peak in June. Overall, very strong volume in is expected in May.
For California Giant Berry Farms’ director of bushberry supply, Markus Duran, the optimistic outlook is shared.
The Florida blueberry season is just getting underway a potential loss of 10-15% looming. However, the company still expects a strong domestic blueberry season.
Additionally, California Giant Berry Farm’s Oxnard organics program has increased production every week since the beginning of December, with its peak strategically planned earlier than ever, perfect for meeting ever-growing consumer demand for stateside blueberries. Peak volumes out of Oxnard will occur from mid-March through May.
For the remaining berry patch — raspberries and blackberries — positivity is shared. California Giant’s acreage of bush berries has increased across the board, making a consistent supply of exceptional fruit available year-round.
Here’s a glimpse at hauling availability now and in coming weeks for cherries, watermelons and berries
California cherry volume is low. Although this gorgeous looking and tasting fruit makes up only one percent of total volume in produce shipments, it’s one of the highest paying freight items for produce haulers.
The cost for a 16-pound case of cherries started the season in California at a whopping $58 per case, the highest in 7 years. U.S. cherry shipments get underway in late April and wraps up at the end of August. Traditionally, peak loadings occur in July before gradually decreasing. The United States is the 2nd largest producer of cherries in the world after Turkey.
The California cherry season is just the warm up for an action-packed 16 weeks, and is a prelude to big time shipper, the state of Washington.
Lime, Lemon Shipments
Mexico has experienced an abnormally wet and cold winter in Tabasco, the leading lime growing region. Shippers also report high freight rates also is contributing to the availability of limes. Lime volume is expected to remain lower than normal at least through June.
While cherry volume is limited right now, watermelons are in plentiful supply.
As an example, a 40,000-pound truckload of cherries is valued at $174,000. The same weight in watermelons is only worth $4,800!
Blueberry shipments are finally increasing as domestic U.S. production rises and are less reliant on imports to meet blueberry demand. Domestic blueberry shipping regions are ramping up as they head toward peak loadings from June to August.
Blackberry volumes also are on the upswing with increasing production in the Baja California, Mexico, and California. While raspberries are coming out of those same regions volume remains relatively low.
As for strawberries, volume and quality have been all over the board in recent weeks. Shipments are expected to be building and should continue through June.
Plentiful berry shipments are seen in the months ahead for strawberries, blueberries.
California Giant of Watsonville, CA says it is growing and shipping fruit with good size and quality on all four types of berries.
The company finished winter strawberry loadings in Oxnard and Santa Maria in late April and scheduled new plantings. Volume in Watsonville has been increasing this month.
Watsonville raspberry shipments go underway in the first half of Mayharvest was expect.
California Giant’s blackberry pickings are expected to start in early to mid-June, and Mexico blackberry volume continues toward peak shipments.
Blueberries
Mexico is reporting good blueberry quality and similar quality is being reported from Oxnard. Georgia also is generally reporting good blueberry quality.
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Strawberries
In California’s Central San Joaquin Valley, the first organic blueberry ranch started in late April, while significant conventional volume has been occurring in recent days.
Seven Seas of Visalia, CA is, a division of Tom Lange Co. Inc., Springfield, Ill. reports shipments of conventional strawberries in Santa Maria started in mid-February and organic strawberries in early March.
The company’s California berry crop is off to an excellent start, with some of the best quality and yields ever. Seven Seas will have heavy volumes throughout the spring and summer.
Homegrown Organic Farms of Porterville, CA kicked off its California organic blueberry shipments in late April, continuing for about a month until late May or early June before transitioning to the Pacific Northwest, where loadings will continue at least through August.
Supplies of Northwest blueberries should be plentiful with high quality in late summer.
HBF International LLC of Sheridan, OR is likewise full of optimism and will be harvest blueberries up and down the San Joaquin Valley until June 15 or 20 and then transition to Oregon around June 20.
Oregon blueberry shipments also look promising. Movement should continue through October.
HBF will have blackberries from Oregon from late June through September.
By the Berry People
Hollister, CA – Berry People, an integrated, year-round grower-shipper of a full line of branded organic and conventional berries and avocados, has announced new berry shipments from Mexico to fill critical supply gaps in the North American market during the fall and winter.
New supplies of premium-quality fruit include organic blueberries from Jalisco and conventional strawberries from Guanajuato and Michoacán. These volumes will complement Berry People’s existing supply from Latin America and the U.S.
Meanwhile, the company is also expanding its U.S. operations from Long Beach, CA to McAllen, TX, to better serve its growing customer programs in the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. and Canada.
New Berry Suppliers
Berry People recently began harvesting the first-ever blueberries from its new high-elevation plantation in Jalisco, which will fill a key niche in the market from now until the end of January.
“We will have predominantly organic production from this ranch, filling a generally undersupplied October-through-January window, with a focus on customers looking for the crunch, snap, and sweetness that Mexico can readily provide,” said Jerald Downs, President of Berry People
“While our South American organic blueberries are key to supporting volume retail blueberry sales at attractive general consumer pricing, this Mexican organic production will be targeted to specific programs for customers who desire to further differentiate themselves at the consumer eating experience level.”
In addition to the new blueberry deal, Berry People started harvesting high-quality conventional strawberries at its ranches in Irapuato and Zamora in October. Volumes will peak from December through January, wrapping up by the end of February.
These supplies will fill the gap perfectly between the company’s crop in Santa Maria, CA, set to peak in October and November, and its crop in Baja California, Mexico, which will peak in February through April.
“This deal is a milestone in giving us our desired transitional overlap and increasing our continuity and quality of supply in a tricky market window for strawberries,” said Downs.
Downs said that expectations are high for the inaugural season of these new blueberry and strawberry crops, which are grown on farms belonging both to company shareholders and experienced third-party growers.
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The new berry deals also fit in with Berry People’s strategy to grow its customer-driven programs sustainably and fill market windows to offer a true year-round supply of organic and conventional blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
“While the company’s individual commodity and overall category growth rate is projected above triple digits both for 2019 and 2020, we are very focused on building balance in our daily portfolio of berries,” Downs explained.
“We are working on filling our summer gaps and lulls on cane and strawberries, completing our pack-style and niche varietal offerings, and on getting better at harmonizing our supply and promotional activity, as well as our weekly fulfillment business, for week-over-week customer-grower satisfaction.”