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What to Expect This December in Your Produce Department
The holiday season is upon us and for many, this means more food. Between baking holiday treats and cooking large meals for family and friends, grocery lists are getting longer this time of year. Find out what you can expect in your produce section this December so you can make your grocery list and check it twice.
Peddler’s Son has over 30 years of experience providing grocery retailers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and schools with wholesale produce. With a 54,000 square foot warehouse and over 30 delivery trucks feeding all of Arizona, we’re the go-to source for produce distribution.
Broccoli Supply Will Grow In December
Supplies of broccoli were extremely short in the end of November due to plants not reaching maturity level for harvest. As the plants mature in early December, growers are expecting the supply to rise.
Celery Supply Fair and Quality Good
Supplies of celery continue to be lower than usual with higher demand due to the holidays. Supplies are expected to be short until growing transitions to Yuma in mid-December, but the quality is good and expected to remain there through the end of the month.
Corn Prices are Dropping
Prices for corn are trending down this month. While supplies are still tight, growers are looking for better supplies and prices to be available in the month of December, after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Shitake Mushrooms in Short Supply
Due to an uncontrollable rise in the cost of imported shitake logs from China, shitake mushroom supplies will be short this month. Prices will be changing almost weekly as labor shortage and limited freight availability cause long delays to unload shipments at the ports.
Price Drop for Chili Peppers but Jalapeño Supplies are Tight
Prices for chili peppers are trending down this week while jalapeño peppers are at very elevated price levels. Growers in Mexico are expecting tight supplies in jalapeños through January due to the hurricane that hit the area in October.
Strawberry Harvest is on Schedule
Just like every year, strawberry supplies were tight through November. At the beginning of December, strawberries are expected to pick up out of Mexico and Florida has strawberry plants in the ground that are on schedule for harvest early in the month.
Stock Your Produce Department with Peddler’s Son Wholesale Produce
Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.
A Delicious Origin Story of Your Thanksgiving Dinner
Next week many of us are going to sit around the dinner table with our families and friends to devour a feast of large pro-portions (pun intended). But, as you eat that turkey leg and plate of mashed potatoes and stuffing, you may be wondering, why do we eat these things for Thanksgiving? What’s the story behind our holiday favorites and why do we serve them every year?
Peddler’s Son is one of Arizona’s leading wholesale produce suppliers for quality products and on-time delivery. We serve a wide range of industries, including those in healthcare, education, catering, restaurants, and grocery stores. We take pride in our services and look forward to nurturing incredible relationships with our clients. Read our article below to learn the origins of our Thanksgiving dinner staples.
Why Do We Eat Turkeys for Thanksgiving?
Since the very first Thanksgiving by the Pilgrims of Plymouth, turkeys have been the heart and soul of the holiday dinner table. William Bradford described in his journal how the colonists had hunted wild turkeys during the autumn of 1621 and since turkey is a uniquely American (and scrumptious) bird, it gained traction as the Thanksgiving meal of choice for Americans after President Lincoln declared the day a national holiday in 1863.
Today, turkey production in the U.S. is nearly a $5 billion industry. According to Tosh Farms, nearly 254 million turkeys were produced in 2016 alone in preparation for the holiday. Most of the turkeys we eat on Thanksgiving come from Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, and West Virginia.
Why Do We Eat Cranberries on Thanksgiving?
Another food item dating back to the pilgrims of Plymouth, cranberries are a uniquely North American fruit. Native Americans used them not only as a food source but also to dye fabrics and craft medicine. Due to their abundance and delicious flavors, it is believed that the pilgrims and Native Americans ate them on the first Thanksgiving.
While commercial farming of cranberries exists in many states and regions, the most common areas are those in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Quebec.
Why Do We Eat Yams?
A holiday favorite, the sweet potato gained popularity in the late 1800s when southerners replaced sweet potatoes with yams. Since then you can find the vegetable in many holiday side dishes and desserts.
The main difference between sweet potatoes and yams is their exterior texture, inner coloring, and flavors. For example:
- Sweet potatoes are typically sweeter in flavor, while yams are more neutral
- Sweet potatoes have thin reddish-brown skin, while yams are rough, textured with brown skin
It’s also important to note that the two are often mixed up. You’ll find that sweet potatoes are labeled as yams. Some folks insist they eat yams every year at Thanksgiving, even though they’ve never seen a true yam.
In the early 20th century, potato growers in the Southern US adopted the African word for yam to market their orange-colored potatoes and distinguish them from regular potatoes. The nickname “yam” stuck, and many producers use the name on their products to this day. Because these yams are technically sweet potatoes, the US Department of Agriculture requires that the label “yam” be accompanied by an additional label of “sweet potato”.
Peddler’s Son Offers All The Ingredients for a Delicious Thanksgiving Meal
Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale products for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible.
As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.
What to Expect This August in Your Produce Department
We just broke the halfway mark of the year, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s in store for produce in August! Your produce department will be stocked full with some delicious and nutritious goodies, but there are a few bad apples to watch out for.
Peddler’s Son has over 30 years of experience providing grocery retailers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and schools with wholesale produce. With 54,000 square feet of warehouse space and over 30 delivery trucks feeding all of Arizona, we’re the go-to source for produce distribution. Read our article below to learn what you can expect this month in your produce department.
Apples
Inventories are reaching very low numbers while demand for apples remains high. It is possible we may experience some shortages in sizes and varieties, which may result in prices rising in your produce department. Golden, Reds, Honeycrisp, Granny, and Galas are the varieties that are being hit the hardest. Fortunately, Fuji is still widely available, so we recommend going to it for your apple needs.
Berries
The main berries being hit this month are blackberries and raspberries. Blackberry prices are trending up with production coming out of California. However, growers are reporting challenges with all the heat in the West. Raspberry prices are high but remain fairly stable. This is due to the tight supply which is expected to be even tighter in the next few weeks. Like blackberries, growers are experiencing challenges due to the heat.
Brussels Sprouts
Supplies continue to be light for Brussels Sprouts, while demand continues to be steady. Quality has improved from the previous month, but we’ll have to wait and see if it remains steady for the remainder of August.
Honeydew
Having a hard time finding any honeydew in your produce department? Well, production continues to remain very low at all growing regions with no end in sight. You might want to consider other melons as other varieties seem to be thriving.
Mushrooms
The mushroom industry continues to face a labor shortage, as well as cost inflation increases in raw materials. Additionally, the price increases in freights have significantly impacted the cost to mushroom producers. Pricing on mushrooms may increase at this time due to labor, transportation, and packaging costs.
Potatoes
We are currently at the tail end of last year’s crop. Some shippers are in a gap for a couple of weeks due to a strain on supply. Additionally, FOBs are up another dollar entering the low $20s. Produce departments will see a decent supply of products, but a fair level of quality.
Tomatoes
Prices for all tomato varieties, except grape tomatoes, are trending up this week. Grape tomatoes are trending down. Growers are reporting some challenges with quality due to past weather conditions. However, produce departments can expect supplies and quality to pick up later in the month.
Stock Your Produce Department with Peddler’s Son Wholesale Produce
Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.