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JUly
Market Update
This month tells a story of recovery, with a few new pressure points. After weeks of extreme shortages, iceberg, romaine, and green leaf lettuce have returned to more typical price levels as California volume rebounds. However, summer heat in Salinas is still driving quality issues such as burn, seeder, and insect pressure, so expect some variability at receiving. Avocados continue to ease as Mexico’s Loca crop ramps up, and California grapes and cantaloupe are hitting their stride with excellent quality and softening prices.
On the flip side, asparagus and artichokes have moved to extreme levels. Celery and fennel/anise are tight due to disease and yield pressure, and citrus sizing remains a challenge across lemons, navels, and Valencias. Berries are a mixed bag: raspberries and blueberries are strong, while blackberries and strawberries are tightening as harvest volumes dip.
Check out the field updates to make informed menu plans for the coming weeks.
Our Favorite Summer Picks
California Grapes
California table grapes have fully taken over the market, and the timing is ideal for late-summer menus. Quality is outstanding, with varieties like Flame, Ivory, Timson, and Summer Royal. Pricing is easing as harvest ramps up. They’re perfect to serve whole on a cheese board, to toss halved into a chicken or grain salad, or to roast alongside pork for a sweet-savory finish. The season is running about two weeks ahead of schedule, so now is the time to feature them before supply tightens.
Cantaloupe & Honeydew
San Joaquin Valley melon production has increased, easing cantaloupe prices and delivering excellent external and internal color along with high sugar levels. Honeydew is trailing a bit as supply builds but hasn't quite caught up, keeping prices firmer there for a few more weeks. Now is the time to feature cantaloupe in a prosciutto-wrapped appetizer, blend it into a chilled summer soup, or pair wedges with mint and feta for a simple, refreshing side. 9-count melons are especially plentiful right now, so ask your rep about sizing flexibility.
Fruits
Apples
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Apples
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Apples
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Apples
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Honeydew
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Lemons
140s/165s/200s tightening
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Limes
175 count and larger very tight
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Navel & Valencia Oranges
smaller sizes extremely limited
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Lemons
140s/165s/200s tightening
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Limes
175 count and larger very tight
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vegetables
Artichokes
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Asparagus
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green Bell Peppers
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Celery
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Fennel/Anise
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Green Beans
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Onions
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Sweet Potatoes
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Iceberg, Green Leaf & Romaine Lettuce
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Potatoes Red & Yellow
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Sugar Snap & Snow Peas
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Highlights
Lettuce, Romaine & Leafy Greens
A welcome turnaround from last month's extreme shortage: iceberg, green leaf, and romaine markets have eased as California supply builds and East Coast and Canadian volume increases. Prices are down, but don't expect perfect quality. Salinas has seen several days of warm, humid weather, driving seeder, ribby product, and burn, and insect pressure (including aphids and INSV) remains high across most leafy green fields. Romaine near the coast looks solid; south valley product shows more insect damage and fringe burn. Overall supply is in good shape.
Avocados
The Mexican Loca crop is now underway, and prices are continuing to soften as expected. Mexico, California, and Peru continue to add volume. Expect softer pricing to continue over the next several weeks.
Asparagus & Artichokes
Both items are at extreme levels this month. Asparagus demand continues to outpace supply, with Northern Peru now the primary source and expected to carry the market through early August before the seasonal shift to Southern Peru begins. Mexican production remains very light. Artichokes are similarly constrained, with good quality but light supply driving the market.
Strawberries & Berries
It's a mixed picture in berries this month. Raspberries and blueberries remain a bright spot, with strong quality and increasing Pacific Northwest and California volume smoothing the transition as Mexican blueberry supply declines. Blackberries are tighter. Mexico has no current production, and California is still ramping up, so expect firm pricing until momentum builds later this month. Strawberries are also tightening, with harvest volumes expected to dip by roughly 25% over the coming week as warmer weather in Watsonville speeds up the current cycle; quality remains good despite the lighter supply.
Tomatoes
The tomato market has firmed up this month. Mexican production is light with very limited larger fruit, though quality remains good, and Tennessee and North Carolina have caught up after earlier rain delays. Grape tomatoes remain elevated on strong demand, while Romas are steady to slightly lower depending on the loading region. If you were counting on last month's low pricing, budget for some upward movement here.
Potatoes
Red and yellow potatoes are tightening as the market shifts toward finishing out the current crop, with elevated pricing expected until mid-August when new growing regions begin production. Sweet potatoes are in a similar spot, moving into the final stretch of the storage season with declining inventories, particularly on premium grades and larger counts . New crops won't arrive in volume until September.
Freight & Fuel Costs
Rates remain under pressure from limited truck availability and record-high fuel costs. Several carriers, including ocean freight providers, are layering in fuel surcharges that will show up in landed costs — expect this to persist through the rest of the summer.
