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CALIFORNIA CITRUS
Traditional varieties, such as Navel oranges, still lead the pack. BY CAROL A. BAREUTHER
Citrus is synonymous with Cali- fornia. It’s no wonder. Next year marks 250 years since Spanish missionaries are believed to have rst planted these sweet-
tart, Southeast Asian natives in the Golden State. Today, California ranks rst with 59 percent of the U.S. citrus production, and rst in fresh-market fruit at 87 percent of the state’s crop, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s August-published Citrus Fruits 2018. In addition to volume, it’s variety that di eren- tiates California from other citrus-growing states. Retailers can take advantage of this during the state’s October through June window of availability by selling everything from commodity oranges, Mandarins and lemons to specialties such as Blood oranges, Mandarinquats and pink lemons.
“Due to variety, quality, sugar content and its well-known reputation, California is hands down the primary, and most-im- portant, growing region for citrus to our stores and shoppers,” says Max Maddaus, produce director at Kowalski’s Markets, an 11-store chain based in Woodbury, MN.
WHAT’S IN, UP & COMING, NEW
e best-selling California citrus vari- eties continue to be the traditional ones all consumers think of when they crave citrus, says Julie DeWolf, director of retail marketing for Sunkist Growers, in Valencia, CA. “ is includes Navel oranges, lemons and Clemen- tines and California (W. Murcott) Manda- rins.”
Navels represent nearly half (45.2 percent) of bearing acres, according to the 2018 Cali- fornia Citrus Acreage Report, released Aug. 3. Mandarins and Mandarin hybrids are next at 22.8 percent, followed by lemons (16.7 percent), Valencia oranges (11.3 percent), grapefruit (3.2 percent), and both Pummelos
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and hybrids and limes at less than 1 percent of each the state’s citrus acreage.
Going forward, Adam Cooper, vice pres- ident of marketing for major citrus grow- er-marketer, e Wonderful Company, headquartered in Los Angeles, says, “We are focused on two strategies. One, o ering some- thing new and di erent and two, extending the seasons for our growth varieties. For example, we are seeing increased plantings for specialty items such as Cara Caras, Gold Nuggets, Meyer lemons and Blood oranges and we are exploring new varieties to extend Caras, Navels and Mandarins to help meet consumer demand and ll voids in supply.”
ese two tactics echo throughout the state’s citrus industry and are already evident in what California growers will bring to market this season.
ORANGES. “ e kingpin of volume remains the Navel orange,” con rms Alex Teague, chief operating o cer for the Limoneira Company, based in Santa Paula, CA. “It may not have the glamour, but it still is the largest mover in citrus.”
Heirloom Navels, and Clementines, are the most popular types of citrus at Kowal- ski’s Markets, according to Maddaus. “We are always willing to try new and upcoming varieties because our shoppers look to us to provide them with the next-best item.”
Heirloom Navels are a featured program starting in January from Classic Harvest, a grower-direct citrus supplier headquartered in Paramus, NJ.
“We have strict requirements, such as sourcing from old-line Washington Navel orange trees that are more than 45 years old and bear fruit that has the brix-acid ratio people remember from when they were a kid,” says Linda Cunningham, president. “We sell these in a 3-pound bag, rather than the 4-pound typical of regular Navels, with the story of the fruit on the back of the bag. We also have a special display-ready carton. e fruit has its own PLU, so it can be merchan- dised in bulk and retailers can be assured of the correct ring at checkout.”
Cara Caras, a specialty Navel known for its pink interior and superior sweetness while also being lower in acidity than conventional Navels, are among the fastest-growing, up-and-coming citrus varieties, according to Sunkist’s DeWolf. “Cara Caras are becoming more mainstream every year.”
Blood oranges, recognized by their deep red-colored esh, are available out of Cali- fornia from January through April.
“One of the newest are late-Blood orange varieties designed to extend the season,” says Limoneira’s Teague.
Blood oranges were the focus of a successful promotion last winter at Tops Friendly Markets, a 169-store chain based in Williamsville, NY.
“ e name Blood orange can sound unap- petizing to some customers. So, we promoted them as Raspberry oranges and promoted them on social media as well as in-store and
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