“We grow eggplant almost year-round. The volume isn’t large, but the growing conditions are good,” says Steve LeFevre, of Wholesum Harvest. Wholesum grows its eggplant in Culiacán on a farm it owns from November through May, then buys eggplant from a grower in central Mexico from May through November, allowing them to be able to satisfy the needs of their customers. It also harvests eggplant on a small, organic farm in Imuris, Mex. “We’re the only eggplant shipper left after May every year. During the summer months, our Nogales plant is faced with the challenge of transporting the eggplant we’ve harvested, delivering eggplant from our Nogales plant to L.A. Normally, it’s picked up and shipped out by delivery companies to our customers,” said Lefevre.
“Eggplant prices are solid right now. We’re selling 18- and 24-count cases for $16 to $17. At times, the price goes down to $10 and $12 per case, but the rule of supply and demand sends that back up,” says Lefevre. “We sell and ship out 3,000 to 4,000 cases per week, and I don’t see those numbers changing any time soon.”
Wholsum Harvest grows and harvests organic eggplant, then sells it to retailers or customers who want fair-trade produce. “We sell coast to coast, to larger retailers,” Lefevre says.
Lefevre pointed out the trials the company did on small volumes of graffiti eggplant (eggplant with white stripes on its surface) and white eggplant produced new varieties that give retailers more purchasing options they can pass on to their customers. “We’re doing this in a small volume—no more than 100 to 150 cases weekly.”
Contact:
Steve LeFevre
Wholesum Harvest
Tel: 520-394-7302