-
1 week ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Potatoes are the fourth-largest food crop in the world. One of the most popular of the 4,000-plus varieties was developed by Luther Burbank in 1872 and is known today as the Russet Burbank. Idaho grows the most potatoes in the U.S. The rich volcanic soil together with Idaho’s climate are ideal for growing Idaho potatoes. Potatoes have always been known for their cooking versatility. The Idaho Burbank potato is very popular and can be baked, roasted, fried, mashed and boiled.
-
2 weeks ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Early humans ate excessive amounts of organic plant foods to survive. Plants were their main source of food. They gathered and consumed fruit, root vegetables, peas, beans, tubers, seeds, nuts, flowers, legumes, leaves, acorns and water plants. They also ate wild grain, which they hammered into flour. This organic, plant-based diet provided the necessary nutrition and energy for the early humans in order to carry out their survival lives in those days.
-
3 weeks ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Looking for some great sales tonnage items to promote in ads? Well, grapes, melons and citrus will put you over the top with your customers. Citrus: There is a good lemon and lime market, and the quality is excellent. California Navel oranges and mandarins remain in excellent supplies as well. Quality is also outstanding. Sizes on Navels are moving to larger oranges. Melons: The volume is increasing on cantaloupes and honeydews with watermelons improving.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
By Ron Pelger March 28, 2025 The Big Bang Theory — the beginning of the universe, not the TV show — suggests the universe originated from a single point, expanded and stretched to grow larger. Amazingly, it is still growing, stretching and spreading out right at this exact moment. The growing and stretching of the fresh-cut produce category is also amazing as the category consistently expands.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Porcini, Oyster, Chanterelles, Morels, Matsutake, Enoki — What are they? They are the fleshy, spore-bearing bodies of a fungus simply known as mushrooms. According to a recent study, the first mushroom on Earth grew between 715 and 810 million years ago. Edible mushrooms go far back in ancient times, dating 13,000 years ago — they were first cultivated in China.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
This is an excellent time for promoting loose or bagged California navel oranges while the supplies are plentiful. The demand is moderate and the market is about steady. Smaller 113s and 138s are at a current peak right now with sizing starting to shift up to the larger fruit. Recent rain has temporarily slowed down harvesting production. However, there is still fruit available for some great ad promotions, especially after the rain subsides.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
By Ron Pelger March 17, 2025 Not every shopper is an organic customer. Some shoppers have to be lured to the organic product and persuaded to want it. That takes skillful education, marketing, merchandising and managing of the category. The more knowledgeable shoppers are about the benefits, the more they will step aboard. Health, nutrition, diet and sustainability all spell organic produce and the demand for it has grown stronger over the years.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
I recently saw two shoppers in a store, each holding a cantaloupe close to their ear and tapping away on it. No customer likes a hard, unripe melon so how can they tell if a particular melon is ripe? By knocking on it? Most people laugh at that method, but it does work. Tapping on a cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon or any other type melon is a clue for ripeness when it has a specific sound. A sound that is low, deep and heavy indicates ripeness, but an unripe melon will sound hollow.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Let’s escape from those dismal weather threats on the crops for a change and consider some of the positive means for ad planning. The choices are friendly right now on multiple produce items. We finally reached a stronger point where produce directors can pick and choose several items that are readily available for some super advertising promotions. Go after these items while the markets are promising and take advantage of the opportunities to be sales-aggressive in the produce departments.
-
2 months ago | 
theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger
Oftentimes it can be beneficial to promote certain seasonal produce items ahead of your competition. Normally corn displays are initially set up, advertised and launched around the end of March into April. There’s an old proverb that states, “the early bird gets the worm,” and now can be an ideal time to do just that with sweet corn. Current corn supplies are good with excellent quality. There is a fairly light demand with a steady market right now out of central and south Florida.
