August 21, 2018

Happy Tuesday!

Anyone else have plans for the long Labor Day weekend ahead? We know our berries do – with tablescapes, snacks and cocktails to be added to! Our holiday pull is underway, so be sure to contact our sales team to make sure you’re set for the festivities. Quality looks good, fruit is abundant and consumers are ready to commemorate the end of vacation season with fresh flavor. Speaking of flavor, scroll down to take a peek at the top millennial trends this year, and of course, a few of our most delicious California Giant inspired recipes to pair.

For more information, including crop and weather reports, please scroll below.

Crop Updates

Watsonville - Salinas: 

Weather in Watsonville-Salinas is similar to Santa Maria with temperatures ranging in the high 60s-low 70s with cold, foggy mornings and sunny afternoons. Quality is overall good, but the QA team is paying close attention to quality as some growers are faced with challenges getting some blocks harvested due to lack of labor with many no-shows at work lately.  Harvest numbers may decline in this district if lack of labor continues to be an issue.

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Wats field

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Santa Maria

Weather in Santa Maria this week will be in the low-mid 70s with scattered clouds. We are dropping some fruit here and there, but quality looks good for the most part. Our Portola fall crop is kicking off this week with counts 14-18 to start, and expected to be in the 10-12 range after the next month or so. Labor is in good shape, and blackberry numbers are remaining relatively steady and producing good quality.

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Sm Monterey 1

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SM Blacks 3

Sm Blackss

Sm blacks

 

Blueberries:

Our blueberry crops in B.C. and Oregon are still looking good. Our South America season is soon to kick off, with our Mexico season underway in the next few weeks. We will have late summer-early fall production on the horizon with our Mexico crop - with winter-spring anticipated for our peak.

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Weather Conditions

For up-to-date weather conditions in all of our growing regions, click on the region below. Wunderground.com is our go-to weather resource for fast and reliable weather updates. 

Watsonville

Salinas

Santa Maria

Oxnard

Mexico

Georgia

Millennial Minded

One of our primary demographic berry shoppers are our millennial moms and young adults ages 22-37. Most of the youngest millennials are just about to graduate college this year, with food being more top-of-mind than ever before. Familiarizing ourselves with our various demographics is crucial in order for us to 'know' our consumers - their likes, dislikes, preferences, and most importantly, for them to feel heard by us! Well, we are listening, and this week we have taken a deep dive into a few of the top millennial food trends we have seen in 2018 featuring our very own California Giant inspired recipes.

Customization is key. Millennials want to create and craft their meals – from flavor to custom-design. They want to experiment with common flavors where they are free to add their own flare. Enhancing the standard burger with a sweet and savory play on the all-American classic is a creative way to tie in a twist!

Summer BBQ Burger with Blueberry and Corn SalsaCalifornia Giant Summer BBQ Burger with Blueberry and Corn Salsa

Quick and easy. Convenience is a top-driver when millennials look to purchase food. Meal kits, grocery delivery services, food trucks, ordering online, and easy grab-n-go options are top of mind when it comes to dining out.  Think on-the-go berry parfaits or acai bowls for those moments in-between class or a quick lunch break.

Granola Berry StackersCalifornia Giant Granola Berry Stackers

Truly transparent. Before millennials settle on a snack – information about how their food is grown, where it is grown and by who are all key questions they like to know on their path-to-purchase. The whole story behind the products and brands they choose is important in their decision-making process. Luckily, consumers can Follow Us To Our Farm and trace back their berries straight to the fields they came from!

Screen Shot 2018-08-21 at 9.23.19 AMCalifornia Giant Chipotle Grilled Corn and Berry Salad

Snacking and snapping. Not only does it have to taste good, it has to look good. Whether it’s a cocktail, salad or smoothie – it should be delicious and Instagram-worthy. Berry bowls are all the craze right now as they're nutrient-rich, full of flavor and loaded with vibrant color - they're the perfect go-to breakfast or a post-workout snack.

Matcha and Berry Smoothie BowlsCalifornia Giant Matcha and Berry Smoothie Bowl

Open-minded. Millennials are often described as open-minded and curious. They love ethnic cuisine, new flavors and won’t shy away from vegetarian, vegan, keto or paleo-diet options on the menu. This sweet and savory tikka masala is the perfect way to tease their tastebuds!

Blueberry Chicken Tikka MasalaCalifornia Giant Blueberry Tikka Masala

Consumer Spotlight
 This consumer just stopped by to say 'thanks!'. We appreciate the love, and we're glad they love our strawberries as much as we do!
 
Consumer Spotlight-2 
 
Pick of the Week

Giant, juicy strawberries found at this Watsonville Nob Hill.

Watsonville NobHill 

  Send us your own "pick of the week" and we will feature it here!

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