However, he did note that the timing is a bit different than a year ago. “We are expecting a slightly later start to promotable volume,” he said. “We are expecting late September to have promotable volume thru October, November and into December.”
Hoffman reported that the cooler winter weather is lingering a little longer than usual in southern Peru. “Normally the temperatures have increased and asparagus in the south has started,” he said during the first week of September. “Temperatures in the south are just starting to increase pushing any volume back a little, while the north is winding down; we are seeing lighter than normal volume for the next week or two.”
CarbAmericas focuses its attention on the green asparagus category for its retail customers. “Our mix won’t change much if at all this season,” he said, adding that retailers typically only look for white asparagus during the holiday season for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.
In discussing consumer and hence retailer preference on asparagus SKUs, Hoffman said the importer is moving more packaged asparagus, whether it be a 12-ounce organic pack, a one-pound presentation for conventional asparagus or the larger club packs. “I believe some of this demand is found in the food-safety aspect and some is a value proposition with a larger pack at a better per pound price,” he reasoned.
He said retailers have been promoting Peruvian asparagus this year when they can. “Our fall season in the Northen Hemisphere is the perfect time to promote as this is the Southern Hemisphere’s spring season with peak volume and quality from Peru,” Hoffman said adding that CarbAmericas would like to see retailers promote asparagus twice a month from late September through December.
Like others in the industry, CarbAmericas has seen an increase in its shipments from Peru that come to the United State via ocean versus air. “Technology has gotten better regarding ocean shipments,” Hoffman said. “Asparagus is arriving in better condition than years ago, passing savings to the customer as air shipments have become more expensive and unreliable. Freight costs via air are higher, and delays with flights have always put a kink in the timely shipping to meet the customer’s delivery window. At least with the ocean program planning is easier.”
He added that there are more shipping lines this year for the grower-shippers to use for the U.S.-bound voyage. “There shouldn’t be any supply chain issues other than the congestion in the Panama Canal, which has caused delays from time to time,” he concluded.