Half way through the Sumo Citrus season, growers are overall pleased with the way it is progressing. Some challenges have arisen due to the persistent heavy rains in California, but in general, the crop is healthy and harvesting is only slightly behind. Unlike most other citrus varieties, rain is more of a hazard to Sumo Citrus because of their unique shape.
"We've had quite a bit of rain which has slowed the harvest a little," shared Dan Kass of Suntreat. "The typical harvest window is from January 1 to April 1, but this season we may go into early April. Citrus is usually pretty rain tolerant, however Sumo Citrus are big pieces of fruit and the nooks and crannies as well as the topknot provide more hiding spots for the rain. It does not hurt the fruit but there is a greater chance of more moisture, so it's more of a challenge when it comes to harvesting."
Kass added that more acreage is being planted each year which is providing the company with additional opportunities to expand distribution. "Sumo volume continues to expand annually as more trees are planted," he said. "As this volume grows, we can also grow geographically and increase the opportunity for consumers to enjoy the fruit."
Suntreat are even exporting small volumes of Sumo Citrus to Holland. "Last year, we sent a small amount of fruit to Holland for a trial to gauge interest and help spread our brand awareness," Kass explained. "It went very well and we will do it again this year as well as sending a small shipment into Asia."
Delicate to handle
Helping to differentiate them further from other citrus varieties, Sumo Citrus are rather delicate to handle, despite their large size. As a result, Suntreat handles them in a similar manner as growers deal with stone fruit like peaches to prevent damage. This requires more care in the harvesting and packing phase, and is more labor-intensive.
"It's a big piece of fruit with delicate handling requirements from the tree to the box," Kass noted. "There is a tremendous amount of hand labor involved from the pruning stages right through to packing. We also run them on our stone fruit packing line which is suitable for them in order to keep them in good condition. It does make it less efficient to produce."
Although tricky to grow and handle, Kass said that it's all worth it. "Sumo Citrus are delicate and expensive to grow. But once it's on the shelf, there is no other citrus that eats as well. It really is an exceptionally great tasting fruit and we are looking forward to the second half of the season."
Suntreat's new POS retail displays
Focus on expanded digital campaign this year
As volume continues to build each year, the team at Suntreat felt the need to expand their digital presence in promoting Sumo. As a result, the company said it invested in an expanded promotional campaign, focusing on its digital reach. "This year, we engaged a PR company to help drive social media promotions and drive consumer awareness," Kass said. "As we continue to expand our volume, we have more resources to help grow our reach as well."
He also mentioned that Suntreat introduced a new range of retail packs and displays to help increase brand awareness further. "We introduced two new shippers for retail - a 1-box and a 6-box shipper. These are new this year along with a 3lb net weight carrier. This corrugated carrier has a small handle at the top and is fully recyclable. The carrier is a trial to gauge interest in such type of packaging."
For more information:
Dan Kass
Suntreat
Ph: +1 (559) 562-4988
[email protected]
www.suntreat.com
