December 18, 2018

Santa Maria weather has been cooler in the mid 50s with nighttime temperatures in the 40s and received minor rain last night. Quality crews are doing a great job of getting a nice, clean pack - with only minor concerns including fighting green shoulders.  Our last day of conventional harvest should be this week, but organic harvest will continue a bit longer with quality and volume persisting. We expect to begin picking Fronteras mid-January with new, good looking fruit on the way.

Oxnard:

We had very light showers early this morning - less than .10 inches, the top of the beds got damp as did some of the baskets, but not affecting the pack. The organic fruit will be picking steady numbers for the next 4-6 weeks barring any weather disruptions. Color is 90/100 percent, with counts at 16-18. The conventional fruit looks very nice, color 95/100 percent and the counts are 14-16. The new crop is looking very strong, with numbers increasing each week. San Andreas is the main variety at this time, but the Frontera variety is not far behind as we begin to pick more each week. The stem pack looks very nice at 16 count.

 

Mexico:

Blueberries: 

Our Top Shelf and Blue Ribbon Great varieties in our Región Maule Longaví, Chile are looking great in quality - firmness and size are excellent. Overall, blueberries in both South America and Mexico are producing good fruit with very minimal defects at this time.

Florida:

A storm passed through Florida last weekend that accounted for some rainfall, but nothing significant or alarming for this region. The long-term forecast looks mostly favorable for berries with highs in the low 70s and nighttime lows in the 50s. Quality in crops and fields is very good, and counts are mid-low 20s among all varieties -Brilliance, Sensation and Radiance. Volume is increasing week by week in both conventional and organic fruit, with Brilliance really loading up with no signs of slowing down. Labor remains a non-issue.

With ever-changing trends and heightened food forecasting for 2019 as we near the New Year, we have another topic we want to talk about. One that is also 'trending' in its own right: sustainability. 

 

Not only are the desire for brand-transparency, going 'green', and on-farm and in-house sustainability relevant, timely topics and information highly sought out from our consumers when choosing what goes into their shopping carts - we also realize how important taking greater steps toward sustainability and social accountability are for our trade partners, and within our very own California Giant family. This conversation has led to our recent partnership with Measure to Improve. In short, MTI's vision is to shape and mold what sustainability is in the California produce industry by communicating sustainability and translating economic and environmental benefits between sellers and buyers. They guide California produce companies like us on using sustainability initiatives to increase profitability, gain market visibility, engage employees and take a proactive approach to addressing sustainability in a way that is meaningful to the produce industry.

 

When asked about his perspective on the topic of sustainability and social accountability, our Director of Retail Sales, Nick Chappell had some words to share. "This is a path the industry as a whole is taking, and it's one we are proud to be on," explained Nick. "When we heard from a few of our key customers that increased on-farm social accountability was something they wanted to see more from their top berry suppliers - we listened and got to work. And not only that, we were eager to pave our own unique sustainability path."

 

Sustainability is often defined as the three “P’s" or pillars: People, Planet, and Profit. For an agricultural system to be truly sustainable, it must be environmentally sound (Planet), economically viable (Profit), and socially equitable (People). Our goal is to hone in on these three P's and ensure all aspects of sustainable agriculture are being served with intent and attention here at California Giant.

 

"We understand the growing demand from consumers and our partners indicates an opportunity to improve various conditions and incorporate more social accountability practices within our every day culture, and we are certainly on board with this movement with an internal goal to go above and beyond expectations," said Nick. 

 

Not to mention, the sustainability programs already being implemented on-farm, in the cooler, and in-office at California Giant. But, we won't give it all away just yet - this is a special teaser just for our partners.

 

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for an official trade release after the New Year with all the details - from our grower pilot program, new office recycling program and more from our California Giant Green Team.

 

 

 

 

 Our blueberries are in their prime in South America and Mexico. We're glad you're enjoying the top-notch quality, Lexie!