Supplies of celery roots and parsley roots are looking ample.
“These are both fall/winter vegetables so we are looking great heading into those seasons,” says Matt Hiltner of Babé Farms, Inc. in Santa Maria, Ca. “Supplies now are even better than last year. We hit a rough period, particularly on the celery root early in the summer. But Mother Nature has been kind to us lately and supplies are in great shape.”
Babé Farms' celery root.
Production of the roots comes out of Babé’s ranch in the Santa Maria Valley in California. “Most of our competition on these items is coming out of Texas and the Northeastern part of the U.S. We’ve also noticed a fair amount of imported product from Europe on the market,” says Hiltner.
Supplies of celery root should stay strong throughout the winter while supplies of parsley root should continue through to late September.
Push for demand
Demand for the roots comes largely from the Western half of the U.S. “Many smaller growers in the Northeast are active during the summer months and typically supply our customers in that region,” says Hiltner. “As we head into fall/winter, we prepare to supply all over the U.S. and Canada.”
Parsley root from Babé's.
Also, demand for the items has seen a steady climb and it’s an increase Hiltner anticipates seeing this year. Part of this is because of consumers' growing interest in items fitting into keto and low-carbohydrate diets. “And these items translate well to holiday cuisine,” says Hiltner. “Whether it’s Rosh Hashana in early fall, Thanksgiving, or the winter holidays, celery and parsley root are staples on holiday menus.”
As for pricing, prices are down somewhat currently. “In recent weeks, supplies have increased and prices have come down compared to where they were a few weeks ago,” says Hiltner.
For more information:
Matt Hiltner
Babé Farms, Inc.
Tel: +1 (805) 925-4144
matt@babefarms.com
www.babefarms.com