A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus. There are two main types: the sweet cherry, Prunus avium, which is eaten right off the tree, and the tart cherry, Prunus cerasus, which is used almost exclusively for cooking.

Cherries are believed to have originated in the area between the Black and Caspian seas in Asia Minor in about 4000 B.C. They entered the Middle East by 3000 B.C., and from there it is believed it was birds that carried cherry pits into Europe prior to human civilization.

Cherries are full of nutrients and antioxidants including beta-carotene and quercetin which provides anti-inflammatory relief, pectin which is a cholesterol lowering soluble fiber, and impressive doses of vitamin C. As a general rule, the darker the cherry, the more intense the flavor. Yellow or straw-colored cherries tend to have a higher sugar content and less acid balance. Enjoy these naturally delicious fruits and make sure to order cherries today as the California season goes by in the blink of an eye!

Getting Product Information to Customers

Before the current health concerns, produce departments were free to cut product for customers to taste and sample. Since this is no longer recommended, stores have had to adapt to new ways to connect with customers. One way to safely engage customers and share information about new products and ever-evolving store protocols is to ramp up your social media presence. Customers are turning to social media to get up-to-date news from businesses they frequent. Here are some ways you can utilize your social media platform to maintain a personal relationship with customers:

• Sampling Videos: Post videos of staff cutting, tasting and talking up the products they are excited about. Conduct a blind taste test as a fun and interactive way to talk about the flavor of items.
• Informative Posts on New Products: Post videos or photos of new products that are arriving in your store. It’s great to talk up health benefits of products. Share video walk-throughs of the produce department while highlighting what’s new or staff favorites.
• Behind the Scenes: A short clip of a local farmer making a delivery, shots of product being prepped in the backroom, or an awesome time lapse video of the floor being stocked before opening are all great things to post on social media. Highlighting staff stories, birthdays, or celebrations is a positive trend that many stores are doing. Candid staff photos are also great to include so shoppers can see happy, familiar faces that are now hidden behind masks.
• Show Updated Store Layouts: Another useful video could be a “where is it located” themed video. If you know there are products that customers are frequently asking about, make a video talking it up and direct shoppers on where to locate it in the store.

New & Exciting!:

• Apricot*: Petite, round to slightly oblong with smooth and velvety skin. Flesh is smooth, juicy, tender, and sweet with a bit of tartness at the end.
• Cantaloupe: Mexico-grown in great supply. Californian fruit is expected to come on at the end of May.
• Cherry: California grown and in great supply! Our growers are saying this is the best tasting crop in 5 years. ‘Fingers crossed’ for good weather! Add some to your order today!

• Corn: Bi-color and white corn grown in Mexico in somewhat good supply. Numbers are limited, but availability will be stronger as summer nears. California-grown bi-color corn is just starting up.

• Donut Peach: Medium sized with a round, flat shape with a dimpled center at each end. Thin-skinned that is yellow and orange with a velvety finish. White flesh is soft and juicy. Easy to remove, non-clinging pit. Flavor is low in acid with a candy-like sweetness.

• Globe Eggplant*: California-Grown. In great and steady supply. Large, oblong shape with deep purple coloring. Big, meaty texture.
• Honeydew: Mexico-grown and in good supply.

• Rainbow Fingerling Potato*: New crop, California-grown and in great supply.
• Yellow Onion: California-Grown and in good supply from our exclusive grower Rundle Family Farm.

Promotable:

• Artichoke*: In good supply.
• Avocado*: Prices are falling as supply stabilizes, ask your Account Manager for volume deals!
• Bagged Apples*: Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Gala in great supply.
• Beefsteak Tomato: In good supply with softer pricing.
• Blueberry: California grown berries are ramping up and in great supply.
• Broccoli: Great value and in good supply.
• Cauliflower: In good supply with sharp pricing.
• Green Seedless Grape: Mexico-grown and in good supply. Firm, crisp, and juicy flesh.
• Grapefruit*: Tastes amazing and in great supply.

Did you know…grapefruit was created in Barbados when the sweet orange and pomelo were accidently bred together? Both ancestors of the grapefruit were introduced from Asia in the seventeenth century.

• Hard Squash: Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, Kabocha, and Spaghetti squash all in good supply.

• Little Gem Lettuce*: Looking great and in strong supply from Blue Heron Farms.
• Mixed Heirloom Tomato: In great supply with sharp pricing.
• Pea*: Sugar snap and snow peas in great supply!
• Pixie Tangerine*: in great supply and tasting great. Sweet, seedless and easy to peel.
• Roma Tomato: In great supply and looking great. Prices are softening.
• Slicing Cucumber: Good supply with very sharp pricing.
• Watermelon Bin*: Mexico-grown, full sized, red seedless watermelon bins in good supply. Bins are a great item to have in stores for the Memorial Day holiday coming up.
• Yellow Peach*: In great supply and tasting great. Juicy, sweet, and enough acidic notes to make their flavor pop!

*Staff Pick

Limited:

• Asparagus: Growers are winding down. Prices are increasing. Add some to your order today before it’s gone for the season!
• Garlic: Remains extremely limited due to high demands.
• Ginger: Very limited in supply due to high demands. New crop will be available closer to end of May.
• Hodo Soy Tofu: New production measures have limited supply.
• Persian Cucumber: Very limited in supply with high prices.
• Sweet Peppers: Limited in supply with higher prices.
• Yellow Squash: Very limited in supply.

Done for the Season:

• Cherimoya
• Shallot

Download May 15 2020 Produce Notes V2