Just ahead of Easter, the supply of fresh herbs is steady, even with demand increasing significantly. "In the first quarter, we've seen strong growth in general of fresh herbs with our customers," says Philipp Harlov, VP Sales and Marketing for Infinite Herbs.
© Infinite Herbs
He notes that while demand for fresh herbs is always there, ahead of the Easter holiday, demand sees a lift for particular herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, dill, chives and more.
However there's one item that is seeing a challenge in supply though it's not necessarily an Easter-related item. "The basil supply has taken a big hit," says Harlov. "A lot of basil comes from Hawaii and it has had some record flooding which affected a lot of supply and has left a hole in the market."
Offsetting Hawaiian basil
For Infinite Herbs, it sources fresh herbs from multiple growing regions including New Jersey, Florida, Colombia, Mexico and more and it has turned to some of its other regions for basil to make up for the shortage from Hawaii. "However, we've been seeing increased demand, with many buyers who don't typically source from us reaching out for basil as supply has been tight. It's been like this for the past few weeks," says Harlov.
© Infinite Herbs
As for the rest of the fresh herb category, right now pricing does look similar to last year, even with that stronger demand. However all eyes are on factors–such as increasing fuel costs–that could impact pricing. "We're actively working on ways internally to help offset those costs, but there may come a point where we'll need to have an open conversation with customers," says Harlov.
In the meantime, the company has rolled out new items as part of its overall product line. These include a dried chili and mushroom program as well as a roots program which will see ginger and turmeric.
For more information:
Philipp Harlov
Infinite Herbs
https://infiniteherbs.com/
