It’s never too early to start preparing for the holidays. To stay ahead of your competitors, meet with suppliers now and set plans for the top vegetable items that shoppers expect to purchase for their Easter dinner. Early coordination ensures you can meet demand and put your best foot forward.
Shoppers consistently look for asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery and sweet potatoes as basic vegetables when planning their Easter meals. Meeting with suppliers early gives you the best chance to secure adequate quantities to create fully stocked produce displays.
Asparagus: Demand is strong and quality is excellent thanks to better growing conditions. Expect orders to surge around Easter, potentially doubling, so lock in your supply early to be ready for the big holiday shopping rush.
Broccoli: With steady markets in California, Arizona and Mexico, and moderate demand, broccoli — especially crowns — will be highly sought after for Easter. Quality remains excellent, making it essential for your holiday promotion.
Cauliflower: Demand is currently light and the market is steady, with good quality product available.
Brussels sprouts: Both California and Mexico are seeing moderate demand and a stable market at this time.
Celery: Supplies from California and Mexico are steady, with a slightly softer market across all sizes. Quality reports are positive, ensuring strong product for displays.
Sweet potatoes: New crop sweet potatoes from North Carolina are showing good quality and consistent demand, with the market holding steady.
Keep in mind that the markets can change invariably, especially during holidays. So, do not wait until the last moment to connect with suppliers for product needs. Act early.
This article originally ran on The Produce News.
Seasonal produce insights
Get holiday-specific produce trends, seasonal recipes, and festive industry updates.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
About the Author
Ron Pelger
Ron Pelger is a former director of produce merchandising and procurement for a major supermarket retail chain. He is currently a free-lance writer for the produce industry supporting growers, shippers, and retailers. He can be contacted at 775-843-2394 or by e-mail at ronprocon@gmail.com.
