One of the healthiest and sweetest vegetables, cabbage is a favored food staple around the world. It is mild, versatile, delicious and plentiful year-round. Cabbage is related to broccoli, collard greens, boy choy, and brussels sprouts, so it is unsurprisingly high in vitamins and nutrients. (It is also known to prevent scurvy.) As a member of the Brassicaceae family, all cabbage varieties boast numerous health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory properties and healthy digestion.
Fun Fact: Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his baseball cap during games and it is reported he switched it out for a new leaf halfway through the game.
Cabbages vary in color and texture, from smooth purple, to crinkled green and white. The most common varieties in the USA include Savoy, Green, Red, and Napa. Savoy is characterized by crimped, curly leaves with mild flavor and tender texture. Green types vary from pale to dark green and can be round or with slightly pointed heads. Red cabbage has gorgeous purple leaves that are packed tightly. Super-popular in fermented kim chi, Napa has long, light green leaves, a mild flavor with a peppery kick, and a light crisp texture.
While the origins of cabbage are hazy, it is known that humans have been breeding this nutritious vegetable for thousands of years. Cultivated around the world, there are many exotic varieties, with extreme shapes such as conehead cabbage, different colors such as dark purple or all white, and varying juiciness, sweetness or flavor. Cabbage can be prepared in many ways; pickled, fermented, steamed, stewed, sautéed, braised, or raw; you can’t go wrong with cabbage! Don’t forget to stock up for cabbage-heavy St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 16th!
And remember as Mark Twain says, “cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”
Weather Watch
manage your expectations in the face of climate change
While farmers are accustomed to being at the whim of Mother Nature, the recent intensity and extremity of weather patterns have signaled long-term shifts in growing conditions. We want to highlight the need for increased awareness and flexibility regarding produce quality, grades, and standards.
The fresh produce industry around the world is experiencing the tangible effects of climate change. In regions like California, recent weather patterns have brought about unseasonably high rainfall, which goes beyond typical seasonal fluctuations.
Environmental challenges affect the cosmetic appearance of fruits. For example, insects called thrips, which leave an external mark on citrus fruits, became more prevalent this season, producing more fruit with scars and blemishes.
One of our growers, Jose Fu from CCH Citrus in Southern California said, “Last year’s wet season in California brought with it not just a change in the size and quality of the citrus we grow but also heightened the battle with pests and diseases, including invasive species like fruit fly populations.”
Educate yourself, your produce team and your customers to the benefits of adapting to these new challenges in agriculture, a direct result of climate change. All communities in the supply chain benefit from accommodating ‘Choice’ grade fruit, which, despite its light scars, is equally nutritious and flavorful.
For example, selecting Choice grade grapefruit instead of (or in addition to) Fancy grade, can have a huge positive impact on a farm, and add value for your business. Reframing our approach to produce quality standards can ensure that no food is wasted, and together we seize every opportunity to nourish our communities.
New & Exciting!
Bartlett Pear (left): The Argentinian season is starting up. Bartletts are extremely aromatic with that quintessential pear flavor. If you like crunchy and tart, enjoy this pear while the skin is green. Prefer super sweet and juicy—wait until the skin ripens to a golden yellow hue. Can’t decide? A mottled yellow-green Bartlett will be moist and mildly sweet.
California-Grown Hass Avocado: California-grown Hass are just starting to come on. The market is expected to be a little unpredictable for a few weeks until the domestic season is fully up and running in April.
Dried Pluots & Peaches: Available for preorder from Frog Hollow Farm in 8-ounce bags. A delicious way to satisfy stone fruit cravings before the California season starts up in late spring!
Green Garlic (right): Green Garlic is young garlic and resembles spring onions. It has a milder, fresher, and sweeter taste than fully grown garlic, and can be used cooked or raw. The flavor becomes milder when cooked and can be used the same as onions, scallions, or leeks.
Nagami Kumquat: The entire fruit is edible, including the skin, flesh, and seeds. The skin offers a sweet taste while the flesh is acidic, developing an overall complex, spicy, and sweet-tart flavor. Highly aromatic.
Pazazz Apple: One of the best tasting apples this season! A descendant of the beloved Honeycrisp, this variety is sweet, yet tart with delicious crunch. Great as a fresh snack but also versatile enough to throw into a salad, side dish or use for baking.
Seville Orange: This sour, tangy variety is best suited for juicing, zesting and making marmalade, The name comes from Seville, Spain – it was introduced from Asia in the 12th century by Arab agriculturists, and was so beloved by the Spanish that they named it after the city of Seville.
Tomato: Fair Trade cherry tomatoes are nutritious, sustainable, and exactly what inspired shoppers are looking for right now. Perfect for snacking or adding to winter salads. Bring in an assortment and build a colorful, enticing display! The easy re-sealable top on each clamshell makes this a customer favorite.
- Poppies: Crisp, flavorful red cherry tomatoes still on the vine.
- Darlings: Bite-sized and bursting with flavor. Glossy and deep red with a delectably sweet taste.
- Kaleidos: A delicious and colorful assortment of snacking tomatoes, each with a distinct flavor profile to please all palates, presented in a pack of balanced color and flavor proportions.
Promotable
Apples: Plenty of fruit available to support your apple programs. Cosmic Crisp, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady have great deals—talk to your Account Manager!
Asparagus: Mexican asparagus will continue to have strong supply with promotable pricing.
Ataulfo Mango (left): AKA Honey Mango. Sweet and creamy with buttery texture. Delicious for eating out of hand but also amazing for smoothies and shakes. Build up your mango displays now!
Cabbage: Green, Red and Savoy are steady. Lucky us! Stock up for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 17.
English Hothouse Cucumber: While other cucumbers are limited, lean into English Hothouse. Steady supply, volume available.
Grapefruit: Steady wins the citrus race. Rio Red and Ruby in all sizes from B&J Ranch continue to be available with promotable pricing, particularly on small fruit
Heirloom Tomato: Mixed Medley from Ram’s Farm are plentiful. Prices have come down, making this an ideal item for promotions!
Jalapeno Pepper: Volume available on this versatile chili.
Medjool Date (right): Stock up on retail packs of dates for shoppers looking to celebrate the Ramadan holiday starting March 11th and ending April 9th. Medjool dates are one of the most popular varieties—known for sweet, caramel taste and moist texture.
Navel Orange: from Blue Heron Farm! This small 20-acre farm in Rumsey, CA, produces legendary and sought-after heirloom ‘Washington’ Navel Oranges, prized for their sweetness and superior flavor. The season is expected to continue for 3 more weeks!
Royal Tangerine: Sharp pricing and abundant supply from, B&J Ranch. Royals are also known as the Temple Orange, ancestor to many citrus varieties. The flavor is sweet, very juicy, and acidic, with hints of lemon and orange. Easy to peel, with some seeds.
Zucchini: Mexican-grown Fancy & Medium are both available in strong quantities.
Limited
Baby Broccoli: Limited; costs are high. Lean into bunched broccoli which has strong supply.
Bell Pepper: Orange & Yellow and Choice Red are extremely limited.
Bok Choy: Limited due to high aphid pressure.
Brussel Sprouts: Very limited. Vendors are reporting aphid pressure due to rain and warmer temperatures.
Bunched Spinach: Remains limited due to high aphid pressure.
Cherry Tomato – All types are limited from Del Cabo.
Citrus: Small size fruit is very limited this season. Many crops were short and when there is less fruit, citrus trees focus their energy on the fruit that is available. This combined with harvest delays from rain has resulted in many growers peaking on large size fruit. See Weather Watch above for more information.
Cucumber: Prices on Slicers continue to climb. Plains are very limited and high priced. Persians are still gapping.
Floral: Tulips & Freesia are still gapping. This may change very suddenly once the rains cease, sensitive flowers are quick to react to warm weather!
Jicama: Gapping
Lettuce: We expect limited availability for a stretch of time. 🙁 Warm weather in southern desert regions is stimulating insect pressure resulting in quality issues. Northern growing areas have been too wet and cold for crop maturity, and rains prevent harvest.
Napa Cabbage
Pear: Red D’Anjou & Bosc
Strawberry: Back in supply, but still limited. Production from Oxnard, California, on the coast has started up. Availability and quality expected to get stronger as we move closer to spring. Local product grown in the Hollister area is projected to start in April.
Yellow Squash
Done for the Season
California Gold Kiwi from Wild River
Red & Green Seedless Grape
Are We There Yet?
Looking Forward to Upcoming Spring Items
What lies ahead as we inch closer to the Spring Equinox? Hopefully less rain, more sunshine and a bounty of new produce. Now is the time to start planning your promotions and spring displays! Here’s when you might expect to see these highly anticipated items:
- California Asparagus from Durst Farms – last week of March
- California Cantaloupe/Honeydew – end of March/beginning of April
- Local Strawberry – mid April
- Ojai Pixie Tangerine – mid to late March
- Rhubarb – mid April
- New Crop Potatoes from Full Belly – late April
- New Crop California Hass Avocado from Las Palmalitas – late April
Please note these are rough estimates only and may vary depending on weather events and other market factors.
March is B Corp Month!
As a values-driven company, we believe in operating based on our values rather than the bottom line. Being a certified B Corp demonstrates this commitment.
B Corps consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, customers, and the environment. We are proud to be B Corp certified and part of a community of over 8,000 companies worldwide.
Learn more about B Corp on our blog!