More than 20 years ago when Leo and Suzette Overgaag founded North Shore Living Herbs in Thermal, CA, the natural environment was a big draw. Today, those natural elements continue to allow the company to thrive while producing herbs on a 12-month basis.

“Growing hydroponically in greenhouses provides us with a controlled environment enabling North Shore to provide consistently high-quality product all year round,” said Micki Dirtzu, director of marketing for the firm.

She added that years of research and development work has helped the company “tweak conditions to perfect the flavor, color, texture and size of the herbs for optimal culinary use.”

North Shore sells its line of herbs with the roots attached to increase shelf life. Dirtzu revealed that the product lasts up to three times longer than fresh cut herbs, which means less shrink in the produce department and more time for consumers to enjoy the product at home. 

While production is controlled and year-round, growing in the desert in the high heat of the summer and the cold nights of the winter do offer challenges. “Seasonally, in the summer there is an added expense for cooling the greenhouses and in the cool winter nights in the desert we need to make sure the plants don’t get too cold. The growth speed varies by season which does impact how we forecast for our business,” she said.

Some of the mainstay herbs, such as basil, are still core to the company’s business, but consumer tastes are changing, according to Dirtzu. An analysis of 2015 Nielsen scan data at retail revealed that basil went from 50 percent of the category sales in early 2015 to 40 percent of category sales going into 2016. “This data speaks not only to the expanded use of fresh herbs but also that consumers are using more varieties of herbs,” said the North Shore marketing executive. “It’s really an exciting time for fresh herbs! We are seeing double digit growth in Thai Basil this year that we believe will peak for the spring and summer seasons.”

She added that there is some seasonality to herb sales. For example, cilantro, a popular herb in Asian and Mexican cooking, sees a boost for Cinco de Mayo, while mint also registers an increase in the spring because of the popular mint julep cocktails made famous by the Kentucky Derby, which is held in early May. 

The company is always innovating and new this year are the addition of four potted varieties to that product line. The most popular appears to be the Basil Trio, which Dirtzu called “a huge success!” The deep purple Opal Basil combines with Sweet Basil and Mammoth Basil to provide a beautiful bouquet packed with flavor. “Retailers have seen a bump in their fresh herbs sales without cannibalizing their potted basil sales,” she said. “This product offers a great impulse buy opportunity for the summer.”

She noted that some retailer partners have merchandised the potted line at the entrance of their store to give them a “Farmer’s Market” feel that consumers are seeking out during the spring and summer months.