As a longtime grower-packer-shipper of California avocados, Index Fresh has a full portfolio of the Hass variety with many different retail and foodservice offerings, but it has also made a concerted effort to be the leader with the new GEM variety.

With a portfolio of larger fruit, strong marketing conditions and a diminishing supply of Mexican avocados, Peter Shore of Calavo Growers Inc. is optimistic that 2024 will be a positive season for those California growers that have produced a reasonably good crop from their trees.

Heading in a new promotional direction for 2024, the California Avocado Commission is promoting the sustainable growing practices employed by its local growers in its new advertising and marketing campaign.

Veteran grape salesman Jared Lane, who is the co-owner of Delano, CA-based Grapeco Farms LLC, admits it was a big decision to start his own company with partner Robert Caneda earlier this year.

But it wasn’t as gut wrenching as one might think. “We had the opportunity to go out and start our own company,” he said without trepidation. “I figured I’d try it and if it didn’t work out, I could always go work for somebody else.”

With the addition of almost 900 acres to its California table grape deal in the San Joaquin Valley, Delano, CA-based Fruit Royale is flirting with the 2 million carton number.

“We added 897 acres of new plantings over the last couple of years of the newer varieties,” said Managing Partner Louie Galvan, who started the distribution company with his brother John in 2004. “These are first- and second-year plantings, so we are expanding exponentially. We’re getting close to 2 million boxes; we expect to hit 1.7 to 1.8 million this year.”

With a good California summer stone fruit season to build on, Scattaglia Growers and Shippers are expecting to finish the season on a strong note with a solid supply of yellow peaches through October as well as some yellow nectarines and plums lasting into September.