Produce Alliance, LLC.

Market Alert: Strawberry Update! 🍓 Please see the photos of the fruit and fields from this morning. The region received between 1.75 and 2.00 inches of rain over the past few days, and conditions remain overcast with occasional light showers. Preliminary assessments indicate that approximately 70-80% of the fruit with color is damaged, with some blocks and varieties showing 100% damage. Growers are laying out today before beginning cleanup operations to allow the fields to dry, with some planning to return tomorrow for stripping and/or juicing and others resuming on Monday. As a result, no fresh fruit is expected until the second pass next week. Additionally, the bed tops are still holding water; adequate drying, aided by wind, is necessary to prevent further damage. Early signs of decay from last week's storm have been observed under the calyx, and this could spread to subsequent fruit sets if drying and cleaning efforts are not expedited. We will continue to keep you informed as the situation evolves, though recovery from this event is expected to take some time.

Happy Valentine's Day! February is National Cherry Month, and today on Fresh Friday, we’re talking about these gems of a stone fruit! 🍒 They might be perfect on a sundae, but these sweet, vibrant fruits are packed with flavor and health benefits. Here are two easy ways to enjoy cherries: 🍫 Dip in dark chocolate for a decadent, yet healthy snack. 🥗 Toss into mixed greens with goat cheese and walnuts for a sweet and savory combo. Did you know? Cherries are rich in antioxidants and melatonin, which helps improve sleep quality, and is the cherry on top of a pretty sweet fruit!

Love is in the air (and on your plate)! ❤️🍽🍷 This Valentine’s season, you and your loved one can savor every moment together with a Four-Course Valentine's Dinner & Drink Pairing Event at Bar Louie! 🥗🍋Featuring the freshest produce sourced through Produce Alliance, this romantic menu paired with signature wines and cocktails will be sure to sweep your Valentine off their feet! Learn more and make your reservation today, available through February 16, by visiting Bar Louie’s website: https://hubs.la/Q035B8cL0

Market Alert: Strawberries 🍓 Due to a combination of supply challenges, growers are currently experiencing pro-ration and order delays this week, primarily from the West Coast. Santa Maria did not harvest strawberries yesterday and is unlikely to resume harvesting this week due to persistent rainfall. Field crews will only be able to conduct cleanup operations until the damage is fully assessed, leaving the timeline for fresh picking uncertain. Growers anticipate severe post-rain damage in California through next week, resulting in heavy pro-rates. Additionally, significant delays at the Mexican border have emerged due to system issues. A glitch during the Mexican government's border system maintenance has caused widespread disruptions and prolonged delays for all commercial crossings. Our growers have worked diligently to expedite transfers from Texas carrying Mexican strawberries to supplement shortages in Santa Maria/Oxnard for West Coast orders. However, these delays have also hindered the movement of transfer trucks to West Coast coolers and local border pick-up points. Lastly, attempts to purchase fruit in California to cover orders have been unsuccessful due to limited supply. It is recommended to attempt loading in Texas next week, as customs system issues are expected to be resolved and crossings should improve. Our grower partners are working diligently to maintain service levels, but supply availability will be significantly impacted. We anticipate industry-wide supply gaps from the West Coast next week and kindly request flexibility in loading dates as we navigate this disruption to fulfill orders.

Market Report 2.13.2025 We are hitting a good stride in production out of South Florida on several items, with good quality and availability across multiple commodities. Mixed Hot Peppers, particularly Shishitos, remain the lightest in supply. Similar availability and quality are also being observed through Nogales and McAllen. Markets remain snug on Yellow Squash and Eggplant. The offshore Table Grape season has improved, with stable supply. Melons have also turned the corner, showing excellent volume and quality out of the ports as well as crossing through Nogales. Banana supply will remain tight into early next week but should gradually improve later in the week. Pineapple availability remains limited across all sizes. Avocado harvests have dropped significantly after the Super Bowl, marking the fourth consecutive year of post-game market strengthening. Limited harvesting in Mexico last week is now affecting supply, with growers holding out for better pricing as the crop remains small in size. At the start of January, hurricane-force winds and firestorms severely impacted herb production in Southern California and Baja, reducing supply and affecting the entire market. Sage, tarragon, and basil have been particularly affected. Strawberry volumes remain steady in two of our three growing regions. Morning temperatures in Yuma remain chilly, and high winds continue to be a factor. The cooler mornings are contributing to icing as a potential problem for some commodities, primarily affecting Lettuce and Leafy Greens. Endive, Escarole, Cilantro, Fennel, and Spinach remain escalated, with supply shortages driving market conditions. Spinach is being closely watched and could potentially sustain frost damage. Bok Choy and Leeks remain at the extreme trigger level. Red Cabbage is still slightly escalated, though overall Cabbage supplies have improved. While it will still be a few weeks before things fully level out, better supplies and quality are on the horizon. As a reminder, some growers have items that do not transfer to Yuma, meaning additional fees will apply throughout the Yuma season.

🍕 Happy National Pizza Day! 🍅🍄🫑 We’re celebrating with Azzip Pizza, where fresh produce meets flavorful creations! This fast-growing pizza chain is known for its creative, customizable pizzas, so no matter how you slice it, every pizza is a masterPIEce. What’s your go-to pizza topping? Let us know below!

It’s Fresh Friday, and we’re shining the spotlight on the tropical treasure that always brings the sun—MANGOES! 🥭 ✨ Mangoes are bursting with Vitamin C, which helps support your immune system and give you glowing skin. 💛 Thanks to a healthy dose of fiber, they’re a pretty sweet way to keep your digestion on track. Did you know? The Guinness World Record for the heaviest mango is held by a 9.36-pound mango grown in Colombia in 2020. ☀️

From Tuscan to Berlin, Produce Alliance is in Germany this week for Fruit Logistica! 🍊🥬🍅🍍 Thanks for making the journey, David Kraus and Christopher Rheault!

Market Report: 2.06.2025 We are hitting a good stride on production out of South Florida on several items with good quality and availability across multiple items. Mixed Hot Peppers, Shishitos in particular, remain the lightest in supply. Markets do remain snug on Yellow Squash, Butternut Squash and Domestic Eggplant. The Offshore Table Grape season has improved, and supply is stable. Honeydew volume is also turning a corner. Banana supply will remain tight into early next week but should gradually improve later in the week. Pineapple availability remains limited across all sizes. After several weeks of strong Avocado harvests, inventories have improved for the Super Bowl. With increased supply, prices have stabilized. Avocados have proven to be inelastic for consumer consumption, especially for the Super Bowl— as guacamole is an important staple dish for The Big Game. Volumes being harvested this week in Mexico are light, as Monday was a holiday with no harvest. If the demand (reload) is strong next week, we could see the market strengthen again due to the lower availability of fruit. At the start of January, hurricane-force winds and firestorms severely impacted herb production in Southern California and Baja, reducing supply and affecting the entire market. Punxsutawney is saying we will have 6 more weeks of winter, but let’s hope that we see warmer temperatures before then. Harvesting crews are still experiencing some delays. Significant icing and blistering conditions have been observed on Cilantro, Arugula, Iceberg, Romaine, and other leafy greens across the Yuma Valley. Despite the cold mornings, quality has improved for most other wet vegetable items. Endive, Escarole, Cilantro, Fennel, and Spinach remain escalated, with supply shortages driving market conditions. Spinach is being closely watched and could potentially sustain frost damage. Bok Choy and Leeks remain at the extreme trigger level. Red Cabbage is still slightly escalated, though overall cabbage supplies have improved. As a reminder, some growers have items that do not transfer to Yuma, meaning additional fees will apply throughout the Yuma season.

That's a wrap on Camp Produce 2025! The Produce Alliance team traveled into Tucson, Arizona, from all corners of the country earlier this week to meet with the entire Fresh Division for a few days of team bonding. Sunday evening, Camp Produce attendees were welcomed with a reception and dinner, reuniting with our coworkers that we are lucky enough to call friends. Monday kicked off our general session! Fresh Division President, David Liesenfelt, came through with powerful insights and led the employee award ceremony. 🏅 He then opened the floor for our guest speaker, Tracy Spears. Tracy guided us through organizing our personality traits in an order that allowed us to connect with one another on a deeper level, AKA a great icebreaker! 🔵🟡🟢🟠 It wasn't all work, though! On Day 2 afternoon, we broke off into groups for team bonding activities and a little friendly competition. Golfing, yoga, a pickleball tournament, paint & sip creativity, and a margarita/guacamole/salsa making challenge! 🍹🥑🏌️♂️ Followed by a carnival-themed dinner and game night, the fun was nonstop at Camp Produce! 🎪 We wrapped up on Day 3 with the big reveal of the new Fresh Truck program and an executive panel packed with fresh perspectives! Huge thanks to our Fresh Division for bringing the energy and making this event unforgettable! 🎉