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and merchandising support to independent supermarkets under banners such as Food- town, D’Agostino and LaBella Marketplace. “We will start promoting those items as soon as the season begins, usually around mid-May and continue on until November. The list of New Jersey produce items we carry is extensive and includes blueberries, peaches, asparagus, sweet corn, leaf lettuces, all cabbage varieties, cooking greens, wet veg, radishes and scallions.”
BERRIES. Blueberries are New Jersey’s No. 1 crop in terms of production value. The birthplace of the Highbush Blueberry in the early 1900s is Whitesbog, NJ.
“The major varieties grown in New Jersey are Duke, Bluecrop, Draper and Elliott,” says Art Galletta, president of the Atlantic Blue- berry Co., in Hammonton, NJ. “The state is expecting a good crop this year, probably in the 45- to 55-million-pound range, with great promotional opportunities.”
The state has a 3- to 4-week strawberry season that typically begins mid-to-late May. “We sell the Jersey strawberries by the
quart for $7.99 to $8.99,” says Mike Oliver, produce manager at Pennington Quality Market, a single-store independent located in Pennington, NJ. “They fly off the shelf.”
PEACHES. As of early May, New Jersey farmers expect a full crop of peaches, which start harvest the first of July and run through the end of September.
“There are many different varieties of peaches, each with different characteristics, but all have a great unique flavor,” says Robert Von Rohr, director of marketing for Glass- boro, NJ-based Sunny Valley International, which markets stone fruit packed under the Jersey Fresh and Just Picked labels. “Some of the best-eating varieties may have a color mix of red and yellow. Our grower works with Rutgers University to keep updated with new varieties to plant.”
TOMATOES. The Jersey-grown tomato is famous for its flavor, thus it is No. 1 in New Jersey in terms of production poundage. Toma- toes are a signature item for Procacci Brothers Sales Corp., a Philadelphia-based company that is one of North America’s largest tomato distributors and the exclusive distributor for proprietary varieties such as Santa Sweets grape tomatoes and UglyRipe heirloom-type toma- toes. “We’re not the first to have a high tunnel program, but we are the first to use diffusion plastic and will add this to 25 acres in New Jersey this year,” says JM Procacci, chief execu- tive. “This technology will enable us to plant 3 to 4 weeks earlier and produce longer.”
This technology increases the amount of diffused light reaching the tomato plants, while decreasing the risk of scorching. Research shows diffusion properties in high tunnel plastics can also naturally lessen the risk for pests such as insects and fungus.
nLOCAL IS SYNONOMOUS WITH JERSEY FRESH
Shout-outs in supermarkets and at roadside stands that ‘Jersey asparagus is in’ are iconic signs of spring in the Garden State.
“As soon as it gets warm, people start looking forward to their Jersey produce,” says Mike Oliver, produce manager at Pennington Quality Market, a single-store independent located in Pennington, NJ.
Spring signals the start of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s (NJDA) brand marketing program, Jersey Fresh, which runs into the fall. It’s a brand worth its weight in green, according to the NJDA’s January 2018 Jersey Fresh Consumer Awareness Study. Of more than 800 people surveyed, 72 percent are more likely to purchase Jersey Fresh products, and 64 percent say they will ask for Jersey Fresh if it’s not in store.
Douglas Fisher, the state’s secretary of agriculture, says “Every major roadway
in the state will be dotted with billboards encouraging consumers to buy local, Jersey Fresh products, an effort that will be complemented by robust radio and social media campaigns.”
Retailers and growers can’t get enough of the brand or the progam.
“We include the Jersey Fresh logo on all of our produce packaging,” says Bill Nardelli, Jr., vice president of sales at Cedar- ville, NJ-located Nardelli Bros., Inc.–Lake View Farms.
Jay Schneider, produce director for Acme Markets, a Malvern, PA-based chain that operates 169 stores in six Mid-Atlantic states including New Jersey, says, ”[The NJDA] listens to what we say about various programs and gets our feedback to bring back to the growers. These meetings are important because customer demand continues to increase by double digits each year for locally grown items.” pb
56 / JUNE 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS