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Santa Maria:
We have rain forecasted for Wednesday this week but totals look insignificant, and the rest of the week looks bright and sunny with temperatures in the mid-high 70s as we approach a warming trend going into the weekend. Conventional counts are 9-16, 14-16 on our organic spring crop and 24-26 on organic fall crop. Increased volume is on the way for late April-May and labor continues to not be an issue.
Oxnard:
Weather this week shows sunny skies on the horizon with temperatures in the mid-high 70s with nighttime lows in the 50s. The showers last week slowed down harvest, but we are back on track this week and color is 90-95% with a few misshapen fruit due to recent moisture on the crop. Counts are 14-18 in both San Andreas and Fronteras, and fields are expected to pick up in volume late April.
Mexico:
Weather in Central Mexico has been dry and hot - with temperatures in the 90s during the day and 50s at night. In addition to warm temperatures, sudden, strong winds have swept our growing regions - these winds pick up dirt and generate favorable conditions for pests, one reason being why numbers have not picked up considerably lately. That said, general quality remains good, and crews are working diligently to keep packs clean.
Florida:
We're wrapping up our Florida season this weekend, and in the meantime, will remain on an every-other-day harvest schedule. Temperatures are warming up this week into the mid-high 80s with nighttime lows in the 50s-60s. We are currently only harvesting our Brilliance variety at 24-28 count, full color and quality holding. We're grateful for another successful Florida strawberry season that all our hardworking growers made possible.
(Pictured: California Giant Florida strawberry growers Tonia and Bill Carr, and grandsons Dalton and Levi)
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.
Today we're talking trends, foodservice trends to be exact - and we are highlighting four key concepts to be on the lookout for in 2019. According to an article by Fast Casual, the global foodservice market is on target to increase 13 percent over the next five years, hitting $359 billion by the year 2023, which means 'fast casuals' will be fighting for their piece of the action, and here's a few ways how:
1. Clean and green living.
At California Giant we understand that transparency is key through our communications with our trade partners and consumers alike. Our mission is to deliver the freshest quality berries, while focusing our efforts on maximizing efficiencies on the field, in the office-space, and in our cooling facilities to ensure we are putting our best foot-forward for our communities and the generations to come. Just as consumers are searching for a brand whose foundation lies on transparency: giving back to its communities, showcasing the face behind the farm, and caring about the environment - this is also becoming true within the foodservice realm, and according to the article published by Fast Casual,"as health and ethical trends become increasingly important for consumers, foodservice players are embracing localization - the shortening of distances between the source of an ingredient and the restaurant" not only to maximize brand transparency, but to increase productivity, and provide healthy, local options consumers feel connected to.
2. Individualized eating experiences.
Because who doesn't like to feel like they are truly being listened to - especially when it comes to food! Fast casual restaurants are listening to their consumers wants and needs, and beginning to offer more tailored dining experiences to solo diners in metropolitan cities where consumers cook less and eat out more. Meals designed specifically for individual portions also help reduce food waste, and are particularly attractive to consumers with dietary control and calorie counting concerns. A chain in India recognized that younger consumers in India were increasingly independent and living alone, and developed a concept to deliver meals within 30-35 minutes with meals to be apportioned properly in terms of size of meal and nutritional value - a perfect example of tailoring a dining experience to a demographic, and delivering fresh, convenient nutritional options when and where they are needed.
3. Increasing engagement through gamification.
For those of us that attended the Brandstorm conference presented by the United Fresh Produce Association this past February, we were mesmerized by Avocados From Mexico President, Alvaro Luque's unique take on marketing and advertising, and the ways in which the produce company positions its commodity similarly to a CPG brand, and in doing so, gaining an incredible 365-days worth of return on investment between their varying gamification campaigns, Super Bowl ads and more. These days, consumers want more, and expect more in terms of how they are being marketed to - and gamification is proving to be an effective method to connect a brand to its consumer. According to the article, "gamification is an emerging digital strategy for restaurants looking to engage with consumers in and out of the restaurant by integrating games or challenges into the dining experience, creating a deeper connection between the consumer and brand. This level of engagement can push a brand to the forefront of the consumer's mind and can incentivize them to return for future visits."
4. Connecting with the busy consumer.
Did we already mention convenience? If so, we'll highlight it again, because it's that important to shoppers these days. Time-crunched consumers need more convenient dining options, and innovative technologies are allowing restaurants to meet this growing demand for convenience - consumers want high quality meals on the go, or even delivered straight to their home. One virtual restaurant concept in Dubai allows users to create accounts on its website to automate payment and address details. Unlike most virtual restaurant concepts, however, it doesn't have an app and actually advertises that as a selling point. The entire transaction is done via text message - easy, painless and quick for the everyday on-the-move consumer.
