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CALIFORNIA FALL FRUIT COMES TO THE FORE
PHOTO COURTESY OF GERAWAN
From stone fruit to grapes to pomegranates, many high-volume items can reap big dividends for retailers’ bottom lines.
As summer wanes, temperatures and leaves will drop, but Cali- fornia fruit sales don’t have to.
anks to varietal introduc- tions, for decades consumers have been accustomed to the state’s late-season grapes and stone fruit well into the fall. Names
such as Autumn Royal say it all.
If managed correctly, these high-volume
items can help anchor consumers to the produce aisle for many months ahead, merchandised in sync with a plethora of Cali- fornia fruits such as citrus, pomegranates, kiwifruit, apples and even strawberries, where higher yielding late varieties are gathering steam.
For Ian LeMay, president of the Cali- fornia Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) in Fresno, CA, the provenance of his state’s fruit is synonymous with the highest quality.
“Holistically for California produce, we continue to brand ourselves as some of the safest and healthiest products on the market,” he says. “We believe our growing quality continues to be consistent and high.”
Growers in the Paci c Northwest and New
BY MATT OGG
York would make similar claims about their apples and pears, which also hit the market at this time, but California’s edge comes from its diversity.
“Yes, the varieties are fewer [compared to summer] but there are still plenty of oppor- tunities promoting grapes, stone fruit and pomegranates with other seasonal fall items such as Clementines, persimmons, kiwifruit and quince,” notes Je Simonian, president of Simonian Fruit Company in Fowler, CA.
Simonian says table grapes are the commodity that has experienced the greatest change with a proliferation of varieties on the market and a season that extends through to
January. Pomegranates will be around until January or February, while stone fruit will last into November.
“Most harvests have begun a little later this year than the previous season — anywhere from ve days to two weeks later, depending on the crop and location where they are grown,” he says. “Pomegranates look to be a real light crop this year, but stone fruit and grapes look like they will have normal size crops, with plenty of availability.”
Even though many of these fruits are available 12 months a year or with only short market gaps, Simonian says with stone fruit, for example, the connotation with summer still exists. is means many fall fruits need a bit of extra support to build momentum, be it through in-store sampling, price promo- tion, special merchandising or social media campaigns.
“Some consumers will buy year-round, but I think summer is still king, and therefore you would need an extra push to increase sales in the fall,” he says. “I think promotions are the key, if the retailers can start early and continue often, that will help move the volume.
40 / AUGUST 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS