MARKET UPDATE OCTOBER 23, 2022

Good afternoon,

HALLOWEEN and the FALL SEASON is here! Make sure to add items like mixed gourds, mini and carving PUMPKINS to your orders to set the scene for your store or office this fall.

BLUEBERRIES continue to be one of the low cost goods available this October. Supplies and quality are strong out of Mexico while we are also seeing decent import volume. Look for BLUEBERRIES to remain a great special or ad option over the next few weeks.

STRAWBERRY supplies have not been as fortunate! The late season fruit in northern California had severe quality issues, even with our export grade fruit. We are now into new fields in Santa Maria, California, and quality has improved, however, early season growing pains like short supplies and higher pricing are present. The STRAWBERRY market is going to be tight for a few weeks as we wait for more significant production out of Southern California and Mexico. Barring any significant weather events, prices will really get aggressive once we are a few weeks into the FLORIDA season, around MID-DECEMBER.

While it has been mostly bad news out of Salinas recently, we are happy to bring you some positive updates on BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER! Supplies are gradually improving each week on both items, bringing down market costs. While there is still some discoloration expected on both flower and broccoli due to the heat, pricing should be coming back down weekly.

CALABAZA containers have finally picked up here in South Florida. The past month or so we have seen lighter availability due to container delays and challenging climates in growing areas. Around this time of year, we start to see more arrivals and increased competition, which forces importers to lower their pricing. So far, it seems like we are heading in that direction.

PEPPERS, CUCUMBERS, EGGPLANT, and ZUCCHINI, continue to transition south. We have made it to Georgia, where it seems that all of the cold weather has slowed things down significantly. The past few seasons have been a challenge out of Georgia, and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

LETTUCE, LEAF, and ROMAINE aren't bringing much good news recently, but there is a small bright spot, and that spot is Huron, California. This week, we will see our first arrivals out of Huron and all reports indicate that quality is stronger compared to the late season salinas product. Not all shippers make this transition to Huron before Arizona, so the market will not completely adjust, but hopefully this abbreviated season will help bridge the gap over to Arizona production in mid-November.

More as it happens,

Parker Tannehill