Posts Tagged “nectarines”
For years, health-conscious consumers have enjoyed snacking on pre-cut, pre-packaged, and in portion-controlled fresh fruits and veggies from their local market. Up until now, stonefruits like peaches and nectarines have been absent from the value-added category because of difficulties associated with processing and packaging.
But that’s about to change. On August 5th Fresh Fruit Cuts, launched Woot Froot, a line of expertly selected and artfully processed fresh peaches and nectarines that will be available through October.
“Woot Froot pairs the great taste of fresh nectarines and peaches – one of America’s top-ten fruits – with the ease and convenience of fresh cut and the added benefit of consistent quality and flavor,” said Kim Gaarde of Fresh Fruit Cuts. Gaarde also the research and developer of this new product worked diligently through her company Fruit Dynamics over an 7-year time frame to develop the proprietary process for selecting, processing and packaging the fresh cut peaches and nectarines. Gaarde also says the products will deliver a 15-day shelf life.
After seven years of research and development – and a few relentless doubters – Gaarde said she is proud to be a part of the team that is building new value for stonefruit growers and enhancing consumers’ access to value added stonefruit that is both healthy and convenient.
Gaarde also noted that only certain varieties of peaches and nectarines will make the Woot Froot cut. The company tested more than 500 varieties before finding the select few that provide the desired taste and texture worthy of a Woot Froot label. Retail consumer packs are available in 3 oz and 18 oz trays and bulk packages are available for foodservice.
“Three out of five consumers prefer to purchase ripe fruit,” Gaarde said, “but two out of five don’t know how to go about it. Woot Froot takes the guesswork out of purchasing stonefruit, a category that is loved by Americans, but has been relatively flat for the past several years. We aim to change that and add a little excitement.”
Fresh Cut Fruits will make Woot Froot available through October this year and is preparing for year-round availability in 2014 and beyond.
Supplies of refrigerated trucking equipment continue to tighten as spring 
produce volume continues to increase, and is being reflected in rates, which are rising.
The pressure to increased rates on produce loads, as usual, is being led by California. More specifically, the San Joaquin and Salinas valleys continue to build in volume. In the San Joqauin Valley, even though an April hail storm knocked out about 15 percent of the stone fruit crop, there will still be around 40 million boxes of peaches, plums and nectarines for hauling this season. The valley also has a lot of vegetables, which doesn’t even include grape shipments that won’t begin until July.
In New Mexico, one normally doesn’t think of produce loads. But if you are in the area, onion shipments are in light volume the Hatch (Las Cruces) area.
Peach shipments from the Ft. Valley, GA area are moving in decent volume, although loadings for the overall season are forecast to be down about one-third. Shipments are expected to finish in late July, a couple of weeks earlier than normal…..South Carolina peach shipments have started and should continue into August.
Georgia peaches – grossing about $2600 to Baltimore.
$8000-plus loads from Salinas to New York City are becoming more common.
Produce shipments from the Huron District in the San Joaquin Valley, as well 
as loads out of the Salinas Valley have returned to normal following disruptions due to rain. The seasonal transition of the lettuce harvest and loadings out of Huron are quickly shifting from Huron to Salinas. Volume is building from the Salinas Valley, not only with lettuce, but other vegetables, and should become heavy in May.
Here’s an update on San Joaquin Valley stone fruit shipments that get underway soon. Both peaches and nectarines usally start by late April, with plums coming on in May. Expect peach and nectarine loading opportunities this season to be off 20 percent due to hail. There was a 20-mile-long swath of the storm cutting through from Southwest of Kingsburg going east to south of Dinuba and Reedly. Shippers with stone fruit orchards you may load with in this area were adversely affected the most.
Looking ahead to the Bakersfield, Kern County shipping area, potato shipping will get underway the second week of May with red, yellow and russet spuds. This will be followed by watermelon loads becoming available in early June, while table grape shipments get started in early July…..Meanwhile steady shipments of carrots are continuing from this area.
Salinas Valley vegetables – grossing about $7000 to New York City.
California peach, plum and nectarine shipments, which were expected to start 
in a few weeks, will be reduced due to an April 11 hail storm. The affected area ranges from Hannaford to near Oros, with the Traver area hit hardest. Damage assessements and how much shipments will be affected are still being assessed…..Meanwhile, lettuce shipments continue from Huron in the San Joaquin Valley. Light to moderate vegetable loadings are taking place from Salinas.
In Florida, red potato loadings continue increasing from southern and central parts of the state. However, it is various spring vegetables still providing the most volume….The Sunshine state is still shipping citrus. Orange loadings should total 145 million boxes, up from 139 million a year ago. Florida grapefruit volume should hit 18.8 million boxes, up slightly from last year.
Steady shipments of Idaho potatoes continue, averaging about 1700 truckload equivalents per week.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $4000 to Atlanta.
California Huron area lettuce – grossing about $7000 to Boston.
Central Florida vegetables – about $2600 to Philadelphia.
Peaches, nectarines, plums and table grapes from Chile are now arriving at ports by boat on both the East and West coasts. That fruit is distributed all over North 
American via truck. The stone fruit arrivals should start arriving in larger volume by the end of January….The heaviest volume for grapes should begin by late January as well and continue through March, when a seasonal decline will start, with the season ending by May.
The East Coast ports at Wilmington, N.C. and Philadephia receive a majority of the Chilean produce. The primary port on the West Coast is at Long Beach, CA.