Spotlight

Produce Supply Update April 26th, 2024: Local Produce – We’re getting started with our local farmers on a few of the early season items. We have strawberries and asparagus. We should begin seeing broccoli and cabbage very soon too. Apples – As we enter spring, shippers are still in a pretty good supply situation with apples out of Washington. They still have ample supplies of apples in storage for most varieties. There are a few varieties and packs that have tightened a little and are showing some small price increases, namely galas and honeycrisps. Overall, they still have a large crop of apples to sell, and we expect to see attractive pricing on most varieties into the summer months this year. Asparagus – We have local standard sized asparagus and we’re going to keep it going as long as we can. It’s been really nice this season. Blueberries – Have started domestically and we’ll look forward to a great season. Our local guys are expected to begin in a couple of weeks, kinda early this year because of the mild winter and early spring. Corn – Is very limited, though still available locally. Other areas are harvesting at full speed, keeping the market very favorable to use it in your menus. Grapes – Mexico is wrapping up their harvest, ending the glut of grapes. California is well into their season now and the market is stabilizing at a higher level. Quality remains very good. Lettuces – Iceberg and leaf lettuce supplies are limited this week. Planting gaps caused by spring rains combined with cooler than average weather have impacted supply. Warmer weather on the forecast should help to improve the situation over the next few weeks. Potatoes – Idaho potato shippers are still seeing very good storage supplies and high quality overall. Pricing should remain very favorable all of the way through summer into the new crop. Squash – Zucchini is plentiful but Yellow continues to remain short, but we expect the warm weather in Florida to help with yields. Georgia will start this week with no major volume yet, but outlook looks promising for next week. Q: What is the most masculine thing you can put on a sandwich? A: Mannaise. Q: Why don’t you ever see hippos hiding in trees? A: Because they’re very good at it.
Produce Supply Update March 22nd, 2024: Asparagus – Are seeing a little bit of strength with Easter coming next weekend, but solid supplies out of Mexico and Peruvian fields making strong harvests. Quality has been very nice. Cabbage – Supplies are good and steady for the next several weeks. Warmer days have the fields bringing better volumes and heads sizing up. Corn – New seasonal harvests from Florida fields have got the corn deal rolling. Pricing is much better and we’re starting to see some size on the corn now that the temperatures are climbing. Cucumbers – As predicted, the market has begun to fall off on cucumbers. Florida finally has started their harvest and Mexican weather has warmed to allow better volumes. Prices are down considerably this week. Melons – Honeydew and cantaloupes demand remains light across the country. Most of the production is currently arriving from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. With sluggish demand, importers are looking to make deals. Quality remains very nice. Lettuce – Iceberg lettuce supplies remain limited this week with most growers reporting good supplies of romaine, green leaf, and red leaf. A recent hailstorm, combined with colder than average temperatures over the past two weeks, have impacted iceberg quality and decreased yields. Harvesters are trimming off outer leaves at field level to help keep the pack nice, but weights are lower as a result. Peppers – We are finally starting to see both Florida and Mexico with decent volume at the same time. We do need to remember that Florida will continue to experience peaks and valleys on yields due to previous weather. For now, we should see steady volume in the next two weeks. Colored peppers rose last week on light volumes. Strawberries – Are in a glut situation with several growing areas overproducing more berries than the market can use. Prices are very favorable right in time for Easter weekend. Tomatoes – Are finally settling downward as warmer weather in Florida is bringing on the crop. Quality and pricing are both improving rapidly on all varieties. Q: Why do cows have hooves? A: Because they lactose

May 4, 2020 Supply Update: In a normal year, we would all be scrambling to get ready for this coming weekend.

Blueberries – Should continue locally well into July and then we’ll make the transition to more Northern states like New Jersey and Michigan.

In a normal year, we would all be scrambling to get ready for this coming weekend. Mother’s Day, college graduation weekend, and just a pretty spring weekend that brings people out and about all normally combine in a great shot of business for restaurants, caterers, and everyone in our industry. However, this year we’re all waiting on the Beer-Bug to go away so we can get back to work! Hopefully it’s almost gone, and Gov. Cooper is supposed to start opening the state back up on Friday the 8th. Continue to stay safe and we’ll all get through this together.

It’s springtime so there’s lots to talk about! Locally grown produce is about to explode! There’s lots of stuff coming on very soon and we’re excited to start getting it in for you.

NC strawberry growers are packing some of the prettiest berries they’ve had in years. Our very mild winter and early spring launched everything a little bit early this year. It’s staying pretty mild right now too, so hopefully that should extend their growing season as early summer heat normally wraps them up quickly.

Our local blueberries are set to kick off in a couple of weeks and if the weather stays like it has they’ll be awesome. A good amount of rain (but not too much) and warm but not hot days are perfect growing conditions so we expect a great year.

South Carolina has started their peach season and we always get the best peaches of the year from them. Early varieties will still be cling-seed, but we should be seeing free-stones within a month or so.

Our local squash season should begin very soon, and that always begins our vegetable season. Cucumbers will be right behind them and then we’ll be off to the races.

Nationally, sluggish demand has crushed many markets and keeping them at minimum levels. Onions, potatoes, dairy and a lot of other items used in foodservice are just not moving for the shippers and they keep dropping prices to find a number where they sell again.