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Oxnard:
Mexico:
In general, all Central Mexico growing regions are cloudy and overcast, with cold nights and warm days. All regions have scattered rains projected for the next few weeks. The cold and cloudy days have affected the speed of maturation in the various stages of the plant - which can cause irregular ripening. The rainfall has also affected some growers harvest schedules.
Blueberries
Harvest schedules have slowed recently due to cloudy weather and cold temperatures, however the volumes are going to increase for the next few weeks. The quality is good, with nice bloom and large sizes.
Organic Blueberries
The quality of the fruit is good, and the volume will increase for the next weeks.
Raspberries
Production decreased recently due to the weather. Some growers decided not to harvest due to quality reasons. After the next two weeks, the production will increase toward a second peak come March-May.
Organic Raspberries
Production is expected to increase, and the quality continues to be good. The weather is not affecting the fields; however, it is slowing down the ripening of the fruit.
Strawberries
Production has been reduced due to the weather. With rainfall and moisture, some growers stopped harvesting, and with overcast or cloudy weather, we have irregular ripening and green fruit. The volume will be dependent on the weather. We are estimating a decrease in volume the following weeks, but growers are showing great effort to keep fruit clean and avoid green fruit going into the clamshells.
Blackberries
Production and harvest schedules are being affected by rain. The majority of the fields are without hoops, which is making it difficult for crews to harvest and get into the fields with the wet conditions.
Blueberries:
Mexico
Quality out of Mexico continues to be good.
South America
Arriving volumes from now through the end of the season will fall short of our previous forecasted volumes. The southern growing regions of Chile have been receiving rain recently and the remaining crop is looking lighter than expected. It’s possible that we won’t have any arrivals of Chilean fruit after week 10. Containers arriving to both Oxnard and Philadelphia over the last week have had mostly good quality with the occasional fair quality due to some soft fruit. We received our first container of organic 6oz from Chile in Oxnard last week, with reports stating that quality looked very good.
Oxnard Organics
Quality is very good on Oxnard organics, and production is increasing. It looks like the peak in Oxnard will come in mid-February through early March this year.
Central Valley Organics
This week we confirmed that we will receive organic fruit out of the Central Valley. This organic fruit will help bridge the organic gap between the Oxnard organic fruit and organic fruit out of Oregon this summer.
Florida:
We have a strong frontal system moving in tonight through the region that could possibly result in anywhere from a half inch to an inch of rain. We will assess any damage in the morning and see if we are able to pack special packs. More photos and updates to come next week.
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.
We've stepped into a New year AND a new decade, and we are super excited about some of the food trends to follow in 2020. According to the January Fancy Food Show finds last month, there are quite a few new flavors we should be looking out for this year. Below are a few we're extra excited about!
1. Oats Go Wild
We love 'oats-anything' just as much as the next person. That's why we've already created countless recipes featuring this mighty ingredient in combination with our sweet berries! Whether it's Blueberry Crumble Breakfast Bars, Raspberry Banana Oatmeal Boost, or these grab 'n go PBJ Energy Bites - we have all things oats covered here!
2. Health Sweets, Smart Treats
We love this one, because we completely agree that sweet treats can be smart AND healthy. That's why we're always focusing on creating sweet, flavorful, easy, yet nutritious snacks that trick you into thinking you're indulging! Our Blackberry Fruit Leather is only 3 ingredients and the perfect pick-me-up. Need an easy morning smoothie packed with greens and antioxidant rich blueberries? Look no further than this Back to Basics Blueberry Smoothie. Sweets just got smart, and we're here for it!
3. The Changing Face of Beer
Beer just got better because it's now being brewed with berries! Local brewery Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing has partnered up with us on a few awesome berry-beer flavors that we can't get enough of. First, a Strawberry Honey Blond Ale, a Hazy Blueberry IPA, and a refreshing Strawberry Hibiscus Ale perfect for summertime. We love that more breweries are adding fresh ingredients like berries into the mix!
4. Fruit Meets Savory Snacks
We absolutely believe berries belong in the savory category. Sweet and savory are two flavor profiles that meld perfectly together, and we have some recipes to prove it! Grab 'n go out the door with this easy Berry Breakfast Wrap, or dress up your every day Toast with these three different twists.
5. Spreads 2.0
Sweet and savory spreads are totally our jam (no pun intended!) Berries can be used in a multitude of spreads, whether they're used in jams or jellies, garnishes on creamy cheese burrata boards, or even hummus - there's always room at the appetizer table for berries!
