October 8, 2018

As initially predicted, we did receive rain last week in the Watsonville-Salinas region. Salinas received more rain than our Watsonville region, and quality and fields have been monitored vigilantly. Water damage is being assessed – some crews are cleaning up, some are picking through – it was a mixed case in the fields last week. Weather looks to remain in the 60s-70s during the day this week, with temperatures in the 40s-50s at night, with no rain forecasted for the next two weeks. Our conventional and organic strawberry volume is declining slowly through the month of October, with bushberry numbers dropping slowly as well.

Santa Maria: 

Santa Maria weather has been warm and muggy, with temperatures in the 70s-80s, and lows in the 50s-60s. We had cloudy weather into the weekend, with similar weather on the horizon for this week. We did receive some rainfall last week in addition to our Salinas-Watsonville regions, however, fruit quality is holding up very well. Fields are mostly clean, and counts are ranging from 16-18, and 22-24. Our organic fall crop is 18-20 with good counts, quality and a clean pack. Organic San Andreas is 26-32 – slightly smaller – but pack size should increase within the next week or two. Despite smaller size, quality is excellent. Blackberries are still holding up very nice, with size slightly smaller, and expected to remain small until we wrap up. Labor is in great shape – everyone is bedded up and ready to go.

Oxnard:

We received minimal rain last week along with our other California growing regions. We do not foresee rain in the immediate forecast for the next 10 days. Temperatures are in the low-mid 80s, and nights have been on the warmer side in the high 50s-low 60s. It's been humid and relatively muggy the last week or so, and so far, no Santa Ana winds have been forecasted. Fruit is generally full-color at 16-18 count, and quality is looking good.

Mexico:

 

 

Blueberries: 

We just completed another successful North American blueberry season. Our blueberries are now being harvested in our Mexico and Central America growing regions with great quality so far.

 

Florida: 

Weather has been overcast, but moving forward until the middle of the month temperatures will fall into the 80s and high 60s at night. Planting has been productive, with 60-65 percent of the planting finished. We have plenty of labor, and the planting process has been fast and efficient, with our schedule ahead of the industry’s at this point.

Field Tours:

Last week some of our team visited the Crown Nursery and Planasa Operations in Macdoel, CA to get a first-look at the strawberry plants that will be planted in the next few months. We love giving customer tours, but this time - we were the ones exploring various growing regions and operations!

Our Sysco Top Chef Luis Reyes continues to innovate - this time, with fall flavor! Our Chef Invitational competitors are still thinking about California Giant berries, and ways to incorporate them into the menu. With the seasons transitioning - landscapes and leaves changing and colors evolving - berries continue to remain a staple and a pop of color on any dish.

 

We like to call consumers like this - brand loyalists! Alexa from Virginia is being sent a California Giant t-shirt to continue to represent our brand. We're glad she loves our mighty blueberries as much as we do!