Despite supply chain woes, Israel’s strong year for pomegranate production is making for a good season at John Vena Inc.
As supplies of late season pomegranates from California begin dwindling, John Vena Inc., a specialty produce wholesaler based in Philadelphia, PA, has increased volumes of Israeli fruit through its import partnership with EDOM Fruits, a grower cooperative specializing in supplying exotic fruits to some of Europe’s largest retailers.
2021-22 season overview
Israel is in the height of its main season for the preferred Wonderful variety. “The timing of the Israeli season is a perfect complement to U.S. production,” says John Vena, president. “Just as California fruit loses steam, we welcome the first arrivals of main season varieties out of Israel. This allows a continuous supply of premium fruit through March.”
John Vena Inc. is offering fruit as large as 833 grams (1.8 pounds) per piece with containers arriving weekly.
Weather conditions were favorable in Israel this year, allowing fruit to develop good size and color. John Vena Inc. is offering fruit as large as 833 grams (1.8 pounds) per piece, as long as supplies last, with containers arriving weekly.
“I’m impressed with the quality of our fruit this year,” adds Vena. “Israeli pomegranates must be cold-treated before shipment to the U.S., which can affect color. But so far, there's been strong pigment with deep red tones.”
While costs of transportation have skyrocketed, the ability to use sea freight instead of air has allowed the import program to continue to offer value in the U.S. market.
Retail readiness
Unlike domestic pomegranate production which favors double layer packs, Israel, which primarily serves the European and Asian markets, uses a four- or five-kilogram tray pack. This allows for more flexibility in purchasing, particularly for retailers. This is also the first year EDOM is offering a sticker with a scannable Databar UPC for improved accuracy at the register.
According to Emily Kohlhas, John Vena Inc. director of marketing, Wonderful is the “gold standard” pomegranate variety in the global marketplace due to its large size, well-formed arils, high BRIX, juiciness, red color and long shelf life.
The season for Israeli pomegranates allows retailers to capitalize on the emphasis on health and wellness that follows the indulgent holiday season, with availability extending into March.
“A lot of work has been done to establish pomegranates in the consumer market, so the awareness is there,” says Kohlhas. “But it’s important to focus on the benefits of whole fruit over processed pomegranate products. Arils are preferred over juice from a nutrition standpoint for their fiber content and fresh arils are preferred over pre-processed ones that have begun to deteriorate in flavor and texture. The eating experience benefits the consumer, and the ease of handling whole poms versus arils with an extremely short shelf life benefits the retailer.”
For more information:
Emily Kohlhas
John Vena Inc.
Tel: +1 (215) 336-0766
ekohlhas@johnvenaproduce.com
www.johnvenaproduce.com