Which Melon Are You?

Melon season is in full swing, and this year’s lineup has more range than ever—from dependable cantaloupe to smooth honeydew to specialty stunners in every shape and color. With so much personality on the table right now, we couldn’t help but wonder: if you were a melon, which one would you be? Find your match below.

Cantaloupe. Dependable, familiar, and universally loved. You’re the friend everyone’s happy to see. Never trying too hard, always a good time.

Honeydew. Cool, calm, a little understated. You don’t need to shout to be liked. Quietly the most refreshing person in the room.

Galia. Cantaloupe’s more sophisticated cousin who studied abroad. Sweet, aromatic, and just a little fancy about it. Staff favorite this season, after multiple blind taste tests!

Goddess. Effortlessly elegant and a little ethereal. Fragrant, floral, sweet without trying—you drift into a room and everyone just knows you’re special.

Piel de Sapo. Looks rough around the edges—mottled, a bit mysterious—but sweeter on the inside than anyone expects. Don’t judge a book by its rind.

Yellow Watermelon. The rebel who breaks the mold. You look like everyone else on the outside, then surprise the whole room the second you’re opened up. Sweeter than expected, too.

Black Watermelon. All brooding mystery on the outside—but pure sunshine on the inside.  A total softie once you get past the armor.

Watermelon. The life of the party—with a bit of a split personality. Seedless works the room, smooth and easygoing; seeded is the one starting seed-spitting contests in the backyard. No shortage of invitations this summer.

Whatever melon personality your shoppers bring to the produce aisle, there’s plenty to build a colorful, high-impact display around right now.

New & Exciting!

Black Knight Watermelon: Grown by Rundle Family Farms, this “black-skinned” (which is very dark green) variety reigns supreme. It has gorgeous bright red flesh and amazing uber-sweet flavor. The texture is crisp and juicy. Available in 45 count bins.

Conference Pear: First introduced in England in the late 1800s, Conference pears are a beloved European variety known for their long, elegant shape and sweet, buttery flesh. Similar to an Abate Fetel, they have a mellow, honeyed flavor and fine texture that’s excellent for fresh eating or pairing with cheese.

Dark Sweet Cherry: From Oregon grower, Columbia Gorge. Varieties may vary, but all have dark red flesh with a sweet finish.

Dry-Farmed Early Girl Saladette Tomato: Dry-farmed tomatoes are given little to no water, and as a result are smaller than typical tomatoes, with lower yield. But the flavor is concentrated and rich, with a dense texture, and profound sweet acid balance, making it unlike any other tomato out there.

Shallot: Coming soon! Shallots are having a moment—and demand keeps climbing. Stock up in bulk to keep your shelves full and your shoppers reaching for this mellow-sweet, endlessly versatile allium.

Specialty Cucumber: Beyond the everyday slicer, specialty cucumbers offer eye-catching shapes, colors, and unique flavors. Check out the following:

• Lemon: Round, golden-yellow variety with a mild, sweet, never-bitter flavor and crisp bite.
• Striped Armenian: Long, curved variety with pale green-and-cream striping (similar to a Painted Serpent). Refreshing, subtly sweet crunch with thin skin that needs no peeling.

Specialty Melon: These unique varieties bring fresh flavor and standout appeal to any summer melon display.

• Canary: Bright yellow skin and sweet, juicy flesh
• Goddess (right): Fragrant, floral sweetness with smooth orange flesh
• Piel de Sapo: Mottled green rind with crisp, exceptionally sweet white flesh.
• Snow Leopard: Green speckled skin with mild, sweet white flesh. Similar to Honeysaurus and Dino melons seen earlier in the season.

Promotable

Bi-Color Corn: Sweet corn is at its peak. Dwelley and Terra Firma are bringing in tender, juicy bi-color ears with the kind of flavor that defines summer. A grilling essential that practically sells itself—keep it stocked and featured.

Blackberry: Mimi’s Organics blackberries keep delivering deep color and bold, juicy flavor in every bite. Grown by Domitila Tapia and her family in Salinas. Check out the eco-friendly fiber baskets (no plastic!)

English Cucumber: Strong volume and a great fit for salad season. Crisp, seedless, and refreshing—an easy add for summer displays and grab-and-go programs.

Galia Melon from Rundle (left): Sweet, aromatic flesh with the honeyed depth of a cantaloupe and the crisp, refreshing juiciness of a honeydew—the best of both worlds! A staff favorite!

Hass Avocado: Las Palmalitas Ranch has loads of 48-count Hass, and pricing on the larger fruits is super-sharp. Great timing to feature for guacamole season—an easy, creamy crowd-pleaser!

Heirloom Tomato: Local heirlooms are coming on fast. Both mixed packs and straight packs of Purple Cherokee, Brandywine, Marvel Stripe, Solar Flare and Pineapple. Mix and match to build a colorful eye-catching display!

Nectarines: Yellow and white nectarines are eating beautifully with strong volume across the board. The white fruit is especially nice right now. Plenty of sizes and labels to round out your stone fruit table.

Pluot: The overall crop is on the lighter side, but the flavor is anything but. Look for Ebony Rose, Dapple Fire, Flavor Grenade, and Honeypunch—each one a juicy, sweet-tart explosion that keeps stone fruit shoppers coming back.

Seedless Grape: California red and green seedless grapes are plentiful and eating great—crisp, sweet, and ready to promote. An easy snacking staple and a natural for grab-and-go programs.

Specialty Grape: The season is underway with customer-favorite varieties including green varieties: Pizzaz and Sweet Sunshine, red varieties: Candy Snap and Sweet Romance and black grapes: Candy Dream, Julep and Thomcord (right). Known for exceptional flavor and strong customer appeal, Murray’s specialty grapes offer a unique opportunity to bring excitement to the grape table all summer long.

Strawberry: Volume is strong, price is sharp. California fruit is showing beautiful color, size, and flavor—an easy, high-impact feature for any summer display.

Limited

Broccoli: 14 count and crowns supply is tightening up; prices are on the rise.

Celery: Supply is limited; prices are going up.

Cranberry Bean: Gapping

Golden Nugget Tangerine: Tangerine season is almost done but still some availability on Golden Nuggets. Grab ‘em while you can!

Honeycrisp Apple: Very expensive and limited availability as we reach the end of storage crop.

Fig: Gapping. The breba crop has wrapped and Maywood’s main crop isn’t expected until mid-July.

Import Green Kiwi:  Import season from New Zealand is starting up. Supply is very tight from all vendors. Gold kiwi is more stable.

Jimmy Nardello Pepper: The season just started, limited supply.

Lemon & Meyer Lemon: The market is tight but we’re seeing more Meyers right now!

Melon: Cantaloupe and Honeydew are all working through the transition north, supply is limited for now. More to come as new regions ramp up.

Purple-Top Turnip: Gapping for about three weeks.

Pea: Still limited; we’re bringing in all we can.

Raspberry: Supply expected to remain limited in the near term.

Spice Zee Necta-Plum: The first of the season flew out of here before we could say “Yum-O!” Supply is gapping; we’re praying to the stonefruit goddesses there is more to come.

Spring Onion: Availability comes and goes.

Sweet Potato: Garnets and Jumbos are very limited and on their way out, with new crop not expected until around August. Hannahs, Purple Covington, and Japanese sweet potatoes are still in good shape.

Seedless Watermelon: While full size seedless melons are limited right now, plenty of mini cartons and seeded bins to satisfy! Supply should improve when the second half of melon season starts up mid-July and additional growers come on.

Done for the Season

Bing Cherry

Galaxy Donut Peach

Grapefruit: B&J Ranch has wrapped—just the last few on hand.

Green Plum: Finished—look to the Flavor Grenade pluots instead.