The Mexican high-season for tomatoes will begin in a few weeks, with high volumes arriving in time for the holidays. Though the high season lasts from December through May, Divine Flavor is able to supply tomatoes to their partners in the U.S. year-round through programs in multiple locations throughout Mexico.
Good outlook for coming season
Michael DuPuis, the company’s quality assurance and public relations coordinator, says: “The Mexican tomato season typically starts in December and lasts through May, though it could go all the way into June if the weather is favorable. The majority of the product comes from high-tech greenhouses which allows the growers to have more control over the climate, but just like all other fresh produce, we still are dependent on the climate. Fortunately, the weather has been good so far, and we hope the warm temperatures will continue so that we can remain on track for the upcoming harvest.”
“While we do work with partners and supply year-round, December is when we transition into high volumes – it starts off slow, and then in January and February we see steady, large supplies. The pricing is a bit higher right now, but that isn’t unusual for this time of year because the high volumes haven’t hit the markets yet. In the beginning of next year, though, the pricing will become more competitive,” DuPuis adds.
Demand remains steady
“We are thinking we will see an increase with the Roma and the grape tomatoes this year. Our offering encompasses the core of the tomato category – both conventional and organic – and includes the Roma, Beefsteak, Magnifico grape tomato, the Colorido cherry tomato medley, and the tomato on the vine. We see that these varieties really encompass the bulk of the market and each of the varieties has steady demand,” DuPuis says,
He continues: “While there has been a rise in the support for local produce, the overall tomato demand is quite high in the U.S. market, regardless of origin. The tomatoes sold in the U.S. are mainly from three origins: Mexico, U.S. and Canada. The Mexican product is really an essential part of the market in the U.S. and is very important for meeting the overall demand of the consumers.”
“Overall, we’re really proud of our tomato line, and believe we have a good, solid line which allows us to focus on the category as a whole and have a lot of flexibility within our programs and offerings. We like to ensure that we don’t spread ourselves too thin – we don’t want to work with too many products but rather focus on delivering high quality. The tomatoes will arrive just in time for the holidays, the weather has been looking good and we are expecting good volumes coming end December, beginning January,” DuPuis concludes.
For more information: 
Michael DuPuis
Divine Flavor
Ph: +1 (520) 281-8328
Email: mdupuis@divineflavor.com
www.divineflavor.com