We’re halfway through the winter season, AKA the cold & flu season. What better way to ward off the sniffles than by eating broccoli and boosting your immune system. Broccoli is one of the most popular superfoods around, but what exactly makes it so healthy for us?

Broccoli is nutrient dense, boasting large quantities of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, fiber, antioxidants, iron, and potassium. It also has more protein than most other vegetables, plus it can improve blood sugar, boost immunity, and promote heart health. Broccoli hails from the wild cabbage plant, and shares this lineage with several other super stars of the brassica family, including Kale, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and Cabbage. You could not ask for a more impressive nutritional pedigree!

This cruciferous vegetable is also high in a natural compound, kaempferol. Early studies have shown great potential for kaempferol-rich foods, like broccoli, as an anti-inflammatory, supporter of liver health, and even a way to reduce the development of some cancers. For maximum health benefits, it is best to enjoy broccoli raw. However, it is still plenty healthy when roasted, stir-fried, or steamed.

Broccoli is a hardy veggie that is in season most of the year, including these chilly months. Supply of broccoli and baby broccoli is excellent right now, so make sure to stock up, and ask your account manager about volume discounts!

Merchandising Corner

Warming up for the Super Bowl

Roughly 90 million people hosted or attended a Super Bowl party last year, and on the next Super Bowl, (Sunday, February 12) that number will probably be even bigger, post-pandemic. 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. Party with Purdy!

Avocados: What Super Bowl party would be complete without fresh guacamole? You’ll want to have plenty of breaking avocados for three to four days before the game. Look for sharply priced Fair Trade Hass, the ultimate guacamole avocado. Ask your Account Manager about our pre-conditioned avos!

Cross Merchandise: Build displays that will compliment your avocados, with items like red onions, cilantro, lemons, limes, 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!

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.

Weather Watch

The Buck Brand label, from Deer Creek Heights Ranch, reported over eight inches of rain in their citrus orchard after three weeks of brutal storms in California. Buddha’s Hand and Satsumas have been hit hard, and possible damage may have been done to Kumquats. Many areas of the ranch remain inaccessible due to mud, so there has been a delay in getting equipment out to harvest. They are still assessing possible damages, but expect to be back on track by the end of January.

While the citrus growers in the Central, Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys of California were hit the hardest, we expect all citrus supply to be impacted in the coming days, weeks and months.

Severe flooding in the Salinas and coastal areas has curtailed harvesting of lettuce and other row crops in the short term. Road closures, power outages and evacuations interrupted shipping throughout the state.

In the long term, flooding and extreme wet conditions will delay planting for Spring crops. This will result in limited production and high prices in March and April. Hang on, in two months it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Produce Resources

Exclusive Growers

Check out our list of exclusive growers and talk to your Account Manager about what’s in season from these small, family farms.

Citrus Shelf Talkers

Use these 3″ x 5″ ready-to-print Shelf Talkers to inform your customers and staff about some of the most popular citrus we have in stock!

Citrus Variety Guide

Take a look at our Citrus Guide for flavor notes on all your favorite citrus!

Citrus Variety Chart

Download and print this 1-page Citrus Variety Chart for quick reference throughout the citrus season.

New and Exciting

Asparagus: California-grown asparagus is a making a surprise appearance! Quality is fantastic–firm, crisp, and bright green.

Blood Orange: Back in stock! Great balance: tart with sweet cherry-like flavor, ruby colored flesh. The juice is rich and delicious with undertones of fresh berries. Most popular orange in Italy!

Ginger Snap Juice: Zesty, sweet, and perfect for the winter season! Apple & ginger juice with apple cider vinegar. Similar to Kombucha. Available in ½ gallon bottles—preorder only.

Green Seedless Grape: Large, clean berries with sweet and refreshing flavor. Eats great! Grown in Peru.

* Mango: Kent and Ataulfo mangoes are here now. The Ataulfo is bright yellow, with very sweet floral notes. Known for creamy ‘mouthfeel’ -with a buttery-soft, non-fibrous texture. The Kent is much larger with green skin and a dark red blush.

Fun Fact: Yellow speckles on a Kent mango indicate ripeness and are called ‘sugar spots’.

Mini Seedless Watermelon: Mexican-grown, sweet, and the perfect addition to winter fruit displays. Small sized for shopper convenience.

Navel Orange: Long awaited Marian Farms Biodynamic Navel oranges are here and delicious! Available in 700 pound bins only (easy handling for your produce department). If you have the floorspace, check with your account manager for retail success stories.

Rockit Apple: This hybrid of the Gala was bred to be small, and has been dubbed the perfect snack-size apple. Crisp, sweet, and famously petite, it works well eaten fresh or used in a salad, but is ideal for tiny hands.

* Tangerine: Royal Mandarins are here and Minneola Tangerines will be coming in soon from B&J Ranch, an exclusive VV grower. Minneolas (AKA minnies) are a juicy blend of sweet and tart, with a wonderful dense texture. They are a hybrid of a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. Royal Mandarins have a zesty sweet orange flavor, and are even juicier than Minneolas, with some acidic undertones.

Fun Fact: Slight sour or acid flavor in citrus indicates high vitamin C content.

Get retail signage for all your B&J citrus here.

Promotable

* Broccoli: Great supply of bunched and baby broccoli.

Cauliflower: Thankfully prices are coming down; we expect steady volume on white cauliflower. Volume discounts available.

Fun Fact: The word cauliflower roughly translates to ‘cabbage flower,’ coming from the Latin words caulis (cabbage) and flōs (flower).

Fuji Apple: Great quantity and delicious deals on large sizes (64 Count). Low in acid, the apple is super juicy and sweet. Pairs well with sharp cheeses, but also holds up when cooked.

* Grapefruit: Excellent price on the Ruby and Rio Red grapefruit from B&J Ranch, an exclusive VV grower. Flavor is sweet with some tanginess. Fruit from this grower is simply the best!

Lettuce: Leaf lettuces and Romaine lettuce are readily available in volume.

Red Grape Cherry Tomato: Abundant supply and competitive pricing on the 12 x 1-Pint clamshells. Firm with a pop of sweet juicy flavor.

Shiitake Mushroom: Strong supply of #1 and #2s; sharp pricing through the end of January. Act fast!

Yellow Onion: Promotable pricing on medium Yellow onions.

Yellow Potato: Steady supply with bargain pricing.

Limited

Avocado: Domestic Bacon, Fuerte and Zutano are limited due to rain, Availability should improve once the orchards dry out. Hass supplies are still uneven from Mexico, but should stabilize soon (in time for the Super Bowl).

Berry: Strawberry and blueberries are still limited.

Celery: Still limited but supply is improving.

Eggs: Supply remains limited due to a number of issues including cold, rainy weather.

Leek: Limited and costs remain high.

Pea: Still very limited on Sugar Snaps and English.

Specialty citrus: Rain damage continues to be seen on all varieties from all regions

Tomatillo: Gapping

Tomato: Beef Steak , One & Two Layer, Heirlooms, and Tomato on the Vine (TOVs) are all limited.

Done for the Season

Satsuma Tangerine

Honey Tangerine