MARKET UPDATE 02.20.25

Good afternoon,

Florida STRAWBERRIES are in PEAK season next week! We have a rare combination of strong supplies mixed with a cooler system moving through late this week. The cooler conditions should help firm up the fruit which is especially good for export. Pricing is going to be as good as it gets for quality fruit, so if you are looking to boost sales next week, STRAWBERRIES would be a great option!

CAULIFLOWER supplies are plentiful heading into next week. Both 12's and 16's are in good standing with steady to moderate demand. Quality has been good thanks to the stable, warmer conditions out west. Look for affordable pricing next week on CAULIFLOWER.

CABBAGE markets are nearing seasonal lows as production in Florida has started to bloom thanks to sunnier skies and warmer weather. There was some heavy overcast and fog late in this crop's growing season, so some surface issues like specks and spotting have been reported.

Chilean GRAPES are beginning to take control of the market. While in the export business, we have moved over to mostly Chilean fruit as of a few weeks ago, the domestic market is hanging on to later season PERUVIAN fruit. The overlap provided a nice surplus for buyers, progressively lowering pricing for the last few weeks. The quality of the fruit is good and thanks to a solid supply, pricing is competitive on most packs.

GOLD KIWI is finished out of ITALY for the next few months. There are some options out of California to cover through the gap in supply however, the product is typically inferior from what we see in the ZESPRI label out of ITALY and NEW ZEALAND. The NEW ZEALAND Zespri GOLD KIWI should arrive here for shipping sometime in early April.

Florida fruits and vegetables are in peak season! From SQUASH and PEPPER to STRAWBERRIES and CELERY, supplies are bright in the sunshine state. We are expected to get the south end of a major winter storm over the next few days but it looks like temperatures will stay in check, preventing any significant issues.

Warmer conditions have helped over on the West Coast but we are seeing some small issues from the ample sunshine. BROCCOLI has been in good supply for several weeks now but extended exposure to sunlight is causing product to age faster. Please do as best you can to keep the product under refrigeration and iced as long as possible.

More as it happens,

Parker Tannehill