“I think the market for it is saturated right now,” says one California grower. “When we have too much, everyone has too much to move and when we don’t have enough, the phone rings off the hook.”
Fortunately, local distributors such as co-ops help educate consumers about what exactly the fruit is. “It appeals educated consumers because aesthetically, it loses its appeal very quickly,” she says. “So the co-ops have success with it because they talk to customers about it, put up signage about it and more.” Consumers consume the fruit in a variety of ways—from snacking on it to using it for juices to drink or in cocktails or putting in baked goods and ice cream.
Consistency concerns
What proves challenging though is consistency in supply. “We have fluctuations," she says, noting that the volume of last year's crop was more than expected. “This year’s supply, we're expecting the same amount, possibly a bit more.” Other challenges include a short shelf life—while it’s good for one to two weeks, the product can start to wrinkle between the third and fifth day yet inside the product is still intact.
Yet, despite all of this, pricing remains somewhat consistent on the fruit, even with concerns over what other growers bring into the market. “We’re organically certified and we sell it for a bit more,” she says. “But there are other growers flooding the market with really low-priced fruit and that makes it hard.”