February 10th marks the Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Dragon (considered to be a very lucky year!) Eating and gifting fruit, especially citrus, is an important part of Lunar New Year celebrations; festivities can last up to two weeks. While lunar calendars are observed by many traditions including Islam, Pagan, Jewish and Hindu, Lunar Year celebrations are particularly important and vary among most Asian cultures. However, the overall goal remains the same: to bring luck and prosperity.  

Some fruits are considered lucky due to their name and color.  Apples bring peace because the Chinese word for “apple” sounds like the word meaning peaceful. Tangerines, mandarins, oranges and kumquats are considered symbols of abundance and good fortune. The round shapes and golden hues of citrus symbolize fullness and wealth, suggesting gold coin. The fruit is frequently decorated with ribbons and colorful paper, then displayed or presented as gifts. Eating pomelos is thought to bring continuous prosperity; the more you eat, the more wealth it will bring! Grapes come in bunches and are a symbol of abundance—both red and green are prized. In other Asian cultures, dragon fruit and starfruit are sometimes part of celebrations as well. 

In addition to fruit, flowers play a key role in Lunar New Year, a symbol of new beginnings and the renewal of life. The traditional and most popular flowers include branches of budding quince, apple or peach blossoms. Orchids, Narcissus, Gladiolus, Chrysanthemums, Anthuriums, and Lotus flowers are featured due to their shared symbolism of good fortune and early Spring arrival.  

Citrus will be in high demand well into the new year.  Although stormy weather may dampen availability, winter citrus is bountiful with Dancy, Honey, Murcott and Navel galore. Get your produce department ready by stocking up on all the lucky, healthy and in-season fruit!  

Weather Watch 

Rain and strong winds from another atmospheric river passing through California will continue to disrupt many categories including citrus, leafy greens and root vegetables. Expect delays in harvests; availability may be inconsistent for some items. 

Citrus is very sensitive to rain and will probably be most impacted. Buck Brand’s orchards are on clay soil which requires it fully drying before workers can get in with ladders to harvest. 

Strawberry fields in both the Santa Maria growing area and Baja California have been hit with rain. Supply is a little limited and some rain damage can be expected on the fruit. 

As they say in Hawaii, “No Rain, No Rainbows!” 

New & Exciting!

Cocktail Grapefruit (left): Exceptionally sweet and juicy. Much sweeter and less acidic than traditional grapefruit. 

Floral: Tulip & Anemone are blooming! Both are available as straight packs and will be incorporated into seasonal bouquets. Act fast—Anemone bouquets are limited!  

Ginger: Peruvian Yellow Ginger is back in supply! 

MeloGold Grapefruit: A cross of a pomelo and a grapefruit. Very juicy with a sweet-tart flavor; low acidity. Large in size, large sections and thin skin. Good for New Year gifts (see above) eating fresh, mixed drinks and fruit salads! 

Murcott Tangerine: Very sweet, extremely juicy flesh.  Mostly seedless and easy to peel. Both flesh and juice are vibrant red/orange. A cross between a tangerine and a sweet orange.    

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. 

Royal Mandarin (right): Zesty sweet orange flavor, juicy and acidic with some lemon undertones. Some seeds, the thin skin is easy to peel.  

Walnut: Check out two new pack types from Old Dog Ranch! The Savory Combo (6x 6-ounce bags) includes Golden Herb & Smoked Paprika w/Garlic and the Sweet Combo (20 x 6-Ounce bags) includes Candied, Chocolate, Maple and Mexican Hot Chocolate. 

Promotable

Hass Avocado (left): Avo you ready for the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 11th? Bay Area team, the 49ers are playing! Don’t forget to stock up on other guacamole essentials: lime, cilantro, red onion and tomato! Healthy choices for dipping include carrot chips or crunchy Persian cucumber slices.  We don’t need salty chips to enjoy our guac & salsa! Go Niners! 

Cara Cara Orange: Distinctly rich sweet flavor with beautiful reddish-pink colored flesh. Steady supply makes this perfect for promoting during citrus season!   

Hard Squash: Local California supply for Butternut, Delicata and Spaghetti are still going strong. 

Kent Mango: Sweet, rich, vibrant flavor with tender and juicy flesh (minimal fiber). Skin stays green when ripe and yellow undertones may appear. It’s ready to eat when slightly soft. 

Kiwi: Refreshing, citrusy, sweet—perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Good supply on small size volume-fill fruit.

TDE Tangerine (right): Sweet, rich and a triple treat of flavor! The TDE is a triple cross of a Temple tangor, a Dancy mandarin, and an Encore mandarin, pulling the best characteristics of each variety.   

Ruby Grapefruit: Beloved for its beautiful pinkish-red flesh and juicy, sweet, and tangy flavor, this variety is one of the most popular grapefruits in the USA. Strong and steady supply from B&J Ranch, an exclusive VV grower in California’s Coachella Valley. 

Limited

Arugula 

Cherimoya 

Cherry Tomato 

Green Onion 

Raspberry 

Romaine Lettuce 

Strawberry: Supply and quality are dampened by rainy weather. 

Soft Squash: Zucchini and Yellow Straightneck are limited 

Sugar Plum Tomato 

Done for the Season

Chili Bomb Pepper 

Bacon Avocado 

Fuerte Avocado 

Nopales: Gapping until spring 

Pomegranate Arils:  USA supply is done (Peruvian imports expected in one month) 

Thai Pepper 

Produce Resources

Apple Variety Guide 

Pear Variety Guide  

Winter Squash Variety Guide 

Citrus Variety Guide 

B&J Ranch Profile Sign 

Citrus Shelf Talkers 

Merchandising Corner

Warming up for the Super Bowl 

Roughly 115 million people watched the Super Bowl party last year, and  next  Sunday, February 11, that number will probably be even larger. (any Swifties out there?) More than any televised sporting event, the Super Bowl is food focused, particularly on produce-heavy snacks. Read on to learn how you can help your customers throw the perfect Super Bowl party. 

 Avocados: What Super Bowl party would be complete without fresh guacamole? You’ll want to have plenty of breaking and ripe avocados for three to four days before the game.  

Cross Merchandise: Build displays that will compliment your avocados, with items like red onions, cilantro, limes, tomato, chili pepper and garlic. Bring in chips, tortillas, and beer from other departments. 

Potatoes: Potatoes are a versatile party food, and work well fried, baked, or twice baked! Build a display with all the ingredients to draw attention, including Russet potatoes, green onions, and some cross merchandised products from other departments like fresh chives, cheese, sour cream, salsa, bacon, or chili to bring it all together. 

Jalapenos: Jalapeno Poppers are always a crowd pleaser. This can be a simple display made with Jalapenos, cream cheese, bacon, and panko crumbs. 

Crudité All The Way: Promote healthy raw snacks as a satisfying alternative to chips and salty foods. Baby carrots, sugar plum cherry tomatoes, raw broccoli & cauliflower, and celery sticks are the way to go! Crunchy Persian cucumber slices and carrot chips make great guacamole scoops! 

Recipe Cards: Customers are always looking for inspiration for their next big party. Help them out by posting recipe cards. Looking for your own inspiration? Check out these recipes for Guacamole, Baked Potato Skins, and Avocado Salsa.