Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction helps support New Jersey blueberry industry
Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction helps support New Jersey blueberry industry
Founded in 1931 by a group of South Jersey farmers looking to create a centralized marketplace for fresh produce, the Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction Association has grown into one of the premier produce auctions on the East Coast.
More than 90 years later, the Vineland, NJ-based cooperative is now made up of hundreds of member growers overseen by an elected board of directors and handles a wide range of fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the season, including lettuces, leafy greens, herbs, melons, peaches and blueberries.
While blueberries are not typically sold directly through the auction itself, the category remains an important part of the operation and the broader South Jersey produce industry.
“New Jersey has historically been one of the primary blueberry sources for the East Coast and Canada,” said Carol DeFoor, office manager for the Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction. “Numerous members of the auction are blueberry growers, and most of our brokers handle blueberries as part of their business.”
The cooperative serves as a major gathering point for growers and brokers throughout the region, creating marketing opportunities for operations of all sizes.
“Because there’s a concentration of brokers in one location, smaller growers have additional outlets to sell their berries,” DeFoor said.
Companies connected to the cooperative include major New Jersey blueberry operations such as Consalo Family Farms and D’Ottavio Farms, along with numerous independent brokers and growers that market fruit throughout the Eastern United States and Canada.
The 2026 season began with weather-related concerns after freeze events and cold temperatures impacted parts of New Jersey during the spring bloom period.
“The weather did some damage to the crop in certain areas, while other locations saw minimal damage,” DeFoor said. “Fortunately, blueberry growers did not experience the catastrophic losses that affected some of the other fruit crops.”
Although some blossom loss occurred, DeFoor said the overall outlook for the season remains positive.
“The volume may be slightly diminished in some areas, but there are still going to be plenty of berries available for consumers,” DeFoor said. “In many cases, growers are expecting larger berries because of the reduced blossom counts.”
Blueberries continue benefiting from strong consumer demand, particularly as shoppers increasingly look for healthier snack options and locally grown fruit during the summer season.
The New Jersey growing region also provides important logistical advantages because of its proximity to major East Coast population centers.
As the local season ramps up, brokers and growers throughout the Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction network help supply retailers, wholesalers and foodservice operators throughout the region.
“Some growers and brokers use different package sizes and styles depending on the customer,” DeFoor said. “At this point, we’re not hearing about any major increase in demand for a particular package size.”
Like the rest of the produce industry, blueberry growers continue facing rising operating costs and ongoing labor concerns.
“The same challenges affecting every crop also affect blueberries,” DeFoor said. “Labor shortages, increases in fuel costs, supplies and overall production expenses continue to impact growers.”
Pricing throughout the season will depend on supply overlap between growing regions across the country.
“Prices tend to fluctuate as production areas overlap and then eventually decrease, allowing New Jersey to become more of the primary supplier to the market,” DeFoor said.
For nearly 10 decades, the Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction has remained an important resource for South Jersey agriculture by helping growers connect with buyers while adapting to changing market conditions.
