Market Minute: Cantaloupe, honeydew are ripe for promoting

Melons are a very popular category in the produce department. In fact, melons can drive sizable sales volume in stores that promote them regularly.

Cantaloupes are also known as muskmelons, mush melons and rock melons. Its name was derived from the Cantus region of Cantalupo in Italy.

The honeydew was named by John Gauger, a melon breeder, who took a few seeds from a melon served to him at a New York City restaurant in 1911. Through his alliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he found out the melon was named in France as d’Antibes blanc d’iver. After hearing it, Gauger felt “honeydew” was a more appropriate name and easier to pronounce.

The weather in Central America is ideal for cantaloupe and honeydew production. The melon imports from Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica are arriving and showing good quality. The current sluggish demand may soften the markets. This could open up opportunities for some timely ad promotions. Consider the lofty sales that melons can generate.

Cantaloupes: Demand is light on a steady market. There are jumbo nine-size melons and a good supply of 12s available for promotions.  

Honeydews: The supply is light on size eights while fives are the basic size at this phase of shipping.

Watermelon: Product out of Mexico has been delayed. The inventory is very light as demand exceeds supply. Further demand from Mexico will be even greater when watermelons out of Central America end, pushing the market higher.

Your suppliers will have more information and be able to guide you with any promotions you may want to plan.