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share with Halos, the largest citrus grow- er-shipper is still focusing on the next big thing in specialty citrus.
“In addition to Wonderful Halos, our specialty citrus portfolio is having great success with our Cara Cara program,” says Zak La te, chief sales o cer at Wonderful Citrus, Los Angeles. “With a 15 percent increase in plantings compared to 2016 and maturing acreage, Wonderful is expecting a 25- to 30-percent increase in volume this season. Excellent quality, combined with timely promotions, creates an exciting oppor- tunity for both consumers and retailers.”
As consumers reap the bene ts of fruit with sweeter taste and superior mouth appeal, they might not even always know the name of the new variety they are pleased to enjoy.
“Some of these new varieties will be marketed under their variety name or trade- mark name, such as Sugar Belle,” says Chaires. “Others may be marketed under a branded product line or as a tangerine or Mandarin. It’s still too early to tell how this will play out.”
CAN I GET A PREMIUM?
at is a reasonable question for a retailer preparing to invest the additional time and
resources involved in spicing up their display of mainstream citrus commodities with some unique specialty o erings.
“Some specialty varieties sell at a premium; others are more of a commodity,” says Florida Citrus Packers’ Chaires. “ e high quality fruit that consumers prefer – whether it be for convenience, avor, color — will drive demand and value.”
Demand currently is strong for a number of specialty citrus items out of the Sunshine State. “ is is a very strong market for Florida, as Florida has high juice content oranges available throughout the season,” says Chaires. “Small size grapefruit and Tangerines are also popular for juicing and producing gourmet juice blends. Orange and red- eshed Navel oranges remain popular during the holidays for fruity salads and
fresh consumption.”
e two recently released tangerine varieties
out of Florida — Early Autumn Honey and Juicy Crunch — are bringing Noble Citrus a premium. “Right now it’s north of $1 per pound freight on board and retails for $2 to $2.50,” says Roe.
ere is no simple answer to the ques- tion of whether a specialty variety will sell at commodity prices or fetch a premium.
“Specialty citrus is marketed at a premium,” says Schueller. “Pure supply and demand is going on here.”
His answer is more straightforward than most because many of the end users of citrus coming through Melissa’s are ready to pay a little more for some highly specialized varieties.
“ e top-selling specialty citrus items are kumquats, Ojai Pixie tangerines, Meyer lemons, blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, Satsuma tangerines, key limes, Sumo Citrus, Pummelo grapefruit, Oro Blanco grapefruit, sweet limes, and Ugli fruit,” says Schueller. “ e up-and-coming items are cocktail grapefruit, Shasta Gold Tangerines, Gold Nugget Tangerines, Kishu Tangerines, Melogold grapefruit, Buddha’s Hand, Seville oranges, and Finger limes.”
e premium really comes down to supply and demand, which can shift pretty quickly in this developing category.
“Specialty citrus can be marketed at a premium based on consumer demand,” says La te. “ e good news is that citrus remains strong for both growers and consumers who continue to drive demand. Consumers have an increasing appetite for healthier foods, and citrus is at the forefront.” pb
44 / JANUARY 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS