Ladera Ranch, CA-based Dulcinea Farms LLC, a subsidiary of Syngenta Seeds Inc. in Boise, ID, has raised the bar for the category with its year-round program of proprietary mini- and seedless watermelons.

Marketed under the “Pureheart” brand, the line is the product of Syngenta’s best research and development. The line was developed by asking one simple question: What qualities are most important in a watermelon?

Kevin Leap, director of sales for Ladera Ranch, CA-based Dulcinea Farms LLC. Syngenta bred the brand for ultimate flavor and durability, created the seed to grow such a watermelon, then looked for the best growers and best practices to bring that product to market.

That passion for perfection is what sets Dulcinea apart from other growers.

The Dulcinea difference stems from strict growing practices and harvesting fruit at its peak to ensure optimal quality that delivers flavor as well as appearance.

“Pureheart” minis are perfectly sweet and delicious, conveniently sized, always seedless and available year-round. “Ruby Bliss,” Dulcinea’s full-sized melons, are always seedless and easily identifiable by the unique green stripes on the outer rind and the deep, rich red color of the interior.

“For 2012, we increased our acreage for the winter months because we see a trend where consumers and retailers are shifting a little bit more towards the mini-watermelons as opposed to the full size,” Director of Sales Kevin Leap told The Produce News earlier this year.

There are several reasons for the increasing popularity of the mini-melons during the winter season, Mr. Leap said. “One is you can usually achieve a better price point during the winter months” for a mini than for a full-sized melon. Another is that “the quality tends to fare very well for the ‘PureHearts’ during the winter months compared to full-size, and that is important to keep that customer confidence at the store level. In order to build the momentum for the early summer, and even during peak production, you want to get consumer confidence going in the late winter and early spring.”

For those and other reasons, “we are trying to stay consistent with all of our key account customers with good quality ‘PureHearts’ during the winter months. And to do small promotions throughout the winter months and early spring in order to keep that momentum going,” he said.

Dulcinea will continue to bring melons out of southern Mexico through about the end of April and then move back up into northern Mexico for the May-through-June period, according to Director of Marketing Monique McLaws. “Then we will start our domestic production in the summer months.”

While Dulcinea has year-round production of its “PureHeart” mini-seedless watermelons, the company’s full-sized melon program is seasonal and started in late March.

“Ruby Bliss” entered the market four years ago and production tripled from 2009 to 2010. After a more modest increase in 2011, the company again had “a slight increase” in acreage for 2012 but “will stay somewhere around the same volume,” Ms. McLaws said.