After making its successful debut in grocery stores last year, this summer will mark the anticipated return of the Giumarra Cos. premium trio of French-bred California nectarine offerings under its DulceVida brand umbrella: Midnight Edition, Twilight Edition and Sunrise Edition.

The 2021 Georgia peach season anticipates a full, consistent, healthy crop due to the lengthy, cold winter the country has been experiencing.  Peach-growing areas of Georgia have logged over 1,000 chill hours, more than 300 hours above the average of 700 hours annually. This year’s cold weather has provided the foundation for uniform blooms in all varieties throughout Georgia peach season, anticipated to kick off in mid-May and last through mid-August.

Summer is cruising by and Stemilt’s Artisan Organics peach and nectarine season is doing the same. Now is the time to plan and push sales starting Labor Day and through the remainder of September, according to Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s senior marketing manager. Retailers should plan ads and focus on creative displays to show off their summer fruit category.

With a good crop of peaches being thinned for size and quality, New Jersey growers — like most farmers — are working under new protocols to protect farm workers’ health during the virus pandemic while using stringent food safety regulations.  

“Growing peaches is a labor intensive process, said Santo John Maccherone, owner of Circle M Farms near Salem, NJ. “We strive to grow the very best peaches without cutting corners on the process of food safety and a safe environment for our workers.“

Since 1950, the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council has been devoted to marketing and promoting the Garden State’s delicious and healthy peaches. Its members include growers, shippers, wholesalers and others who want to help farmers grow the best peaches possible while also preserving farmland in New Jersey.

“The council does a lot of things for the industry, it fills a lot of gaps,” said Jerome Frecon, a consultant for the council. “We work closely with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture promoting the Jersey Fresh program.”

Eastern Propak, a state-of-the-art facility located minutes away from the major Delaware ports, offers access to all major hubs on the East Coast and fulfills a long list of services for its customers, including receiving, repacking, shipping and cold storage.