The end of the offshore citrus season is approaching as suppliers begin thinking about domestic production. Main lemon supplies are already transitioning to California, while October will see the first appearance of domestically-grown oranges and easy-peelers.
"Right now, we have Navel oranges, lemons and mandarins coming in from Chile, and we also have our lemons coming in from district three as well," said Monique Bienvenue of Bee Sweet Citrus. "October marks the beginning of our domestic season, and with that Satsuma mandarins, Navel oranges, Meyer Lemons and Pommelos will be available to our consumers. After the first of the year, we will also be adding Cara Cara Navels, Blood Oranges, Minneolas and Murcott mandarins to our list of citrus items."
While there have been reports of a shortage of Navel oranges in the broader market, Bienvenue said that Bee Sweet Citrus still have steady supplies of all citrus varieties. "This year, we’ve seen a good amount of supplies," she said. "There hasn’t been a shortage of fruit from Bee Sweet Citrus."
Gold Nugget mandarins available from 2019
For Bee Sweet Citrus, next year will present an opportunity to offer a new mandarin variety to consumers. The company are also introducing new packaging while internally, some new machinery is already at work in the pack-house. This is in response to what they see as increasing demand for citrus.
"2019 is an exciting year for the Bee Sweet Citrus team as we’re introducing Gold Nugget mandarins into our specialty citrus line, as well as new packaging for several of our varieties," Bienvenue shared. "Our packing house is also now utilizing new, state-of-the-art equipment that aids the production of our citrus varieties."
"There’s a steady demand for citrus year-round," she continued. "The fruit’s versatility and year-round availability make them a great stand-alone snack, or a key ingredient to many meals."
PMA Fresh Summit an opportunity to connect
With PMA Fresh Summit just a few weeks away, exhibitors are busy preparing what they will display. Bienvenue said that Bee Sweet Citrus also see the event as an opportunity to connect with their customers and peers in the industry.
"Going to Fresh Summit gives our team the opportunity to meet face-to-face with many of the people we work with daily," she said. "It also allows us to connect with new people, while learning of new trends within the produce industry. This year, we’ll be displaying some of our seasonal citrus varieties. We encourage visitors to stop by our booth to say hello!"
Bee Sweet Citrus will be at booth #681.
For more information:
Monique Bienvenue
Bee Sweet Citrus
Tel: +1 (559) 834-5345
moniqueb@beesweetcitrus.com
www.beesweetcitrus.com