Posts Tagged “Stemilt”
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Promising blooms and strong cell division action means Stemilt’s Washington apricot crop will bring big fruit this year. Apricots shipments have just started and will continue through July with peak volume starting July 4th onwards. Stemilt senior sales manager, Brian Evans, anticipates quality and size will increase during this year’s apricot season.
“We’ll have good volume and sizes of Artisan Organics™ apricots this year which means now is the perfect time to prepare for upcoming promotion windows,” says Evans. “We’re seeing signs of strong cell division post bloom which shows improved quality and size from the previous crop.”
Great flavors are made when cool nights and long, hot days give apricots the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The Douglas family grows all Stemilt’s apricots, peaches and nectarines 100% organically in Pasco, WA in the Columbia Basin. The natural rain shadow in this area makes an optimal location for growing stone fruit.
“With larger size fruit on the way, catch weight bags are going to be your best friend for promoting apricots,” says Evans. “July 4 will be a good time to first bring attention to apricots leading into another key promotion window in the second and third weeks of July. We encourage retailers to carry organic apricots to fill organic space and offer a value opportunity that shoppers will look for during produce inflation.”
Apricots continue to be a popular fruit choice for children who enjoy sweet mellow flavors. According to The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2023, younger consumers are more likely to purchase fresh apricots. The report shows 19% of families with 2 kids are most likely to buy them. 14% of Consumers aged 30-39 said they purchased apricots, compared with 6% for those consumers aged 60 and older.
“We can help bring new shoppers to the organic category with apricots by picking fruit that’s going to delight with quality flavors and sizes,” says Evans. “Promoting organics with a seasonal fruit like apricots is a great way to see growth in the category and we’re excited to help retailers see success this summer with Artisan Organics™ branded fruit.”
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears.
by Stemilt Growers
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt and their marketing partner, Douglas Fruit, are gearing up for another successful Artisan Organics® apricot season, which is predicted to start two weeks later than normal. Stemilt expects their organic apricots to begin harvest in late June, with volumes ramping up quickly for promotable volumes throughout July….Meanwhile, here’s a summary of the just finished Texas 1015 onion shipping season.
With a historic early start last year, it is only fitting to experience a late start for crops up and down the West Coast this year.
The Douglas family tree fruit growing roots date back to the 1890s and today, the fourth generation is hands-on when it involves the family’s growing and packing business, which includes apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples, and cherries. In 2007, the Douglas family started the transition process to move the majority of its apricot orchards to organic production, as well as their entire crop of peaches and nectarines, viewing the move to organic as an opportunity to differentiate the flavors of its stone fruits.
“We’ve found a great niche in growing apricots organically that matches well with our flavor focus,” said Jill Douglas, co-president of Douglas Fruit. “We farm in the best locale, Washington’s Columbia Basin, where warm days and cool nights create beautifully colored fruits with exceptional flavors. Artisan Organics® apricots really exceed standards thanks to the climate and organic farming practices.”
Stemilt accounts for approximately 40 percent of Washington State’s apricot crop taking the leading position in apricot production. Stemilt is also the leader in organic cots, with 60 percent of its entire apricot crop grown and certified as organic. The leading variety that Stemilt produces is Robada.
The peak of organic apricot shipping season should start in early July and continue through the first three weeks of July. Organic food sales are growing by double-digits annually.
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Yakima Valley apple shipments – grossing about $5700 to New York City.
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Texas Onion Shipments
Texas onion shipments were down early in the season, but finished strong where shipments for the overall season were about average. The Lower Rio Grande Valley was hit by excessive rains and insect damage by thrips. Thrips are a minute black winged insect that sucks plant sap and can be serious pest to ornamental and food plants when present in large numbers. Texas 1015 onion shipments got underway in early March about a month earlier than normal. Typically Texas will ship about 350 to 400 truck loads of 800 bags (40,000 pounds) daily, but during the period for Easter loadings shipments rose to around 480 to525 loads per day.
Lower Rio Grande Valley watermelon shipments – grossing about $4400 to New York City.