Duda Farm Fresh Foods will now offer Meyer lemons year-round in an effort to meet the growing demand of the popular citrus item amongst consumers.

Since 2008, Meyer lemons have become a widely known and popular ingredient amongst professional chefs and home cooks across the United States. As a result, Duda Farm Fresh Foods has Mark Bassettiprocured a relationship with growers in New Zealand to supplement the company’s domestic crop in promotable volumes from May to September, just before the company’s California product becomes available from October to March. The highlight of the New Zealand season this year will be slightly larger fruit than in past years.

“When demand is driving consumption of your product, you find a way to get the product when it is out of season,” Mark Bassetti, senior vice president of Duda Farm Fresh Foods, said in a press release.  “Consumers are excited about Meyer lemons and seek to find them in stores, even when they are out of season. This presents our company with a great opportunity to deliver and provide our retail partners with a solution from a company that they know and trust. It is truly a win-win-win for everyone involved!”

Originally from China, the Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. The fruit has a thin skin with a bright yellow rind that darkens to orange-yellow as it ripens. Its aromatic juice is much sweeter than a conventional lemon and is a favorite of gourmet cooks and dessert chefs.

Duda is supporting sales of Meyer lemons with category data and an online sales kit that includes recipes for consumers as well as point-of-sale material.  In tandem with this, Duda Farm Fresh Foods reiterates the company’s commitment to providing its customers and consumers with a year-round supply of other citrus products as well.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods is expanding the year-round citrus category by importing clementines and oranges from Chile and Minneolas from Peru to create a fresh new summer citrus category.  

As an additional highlight, the Peruvian Minneolas will have an outstanding eating quality and come packed in special Minneola bags this year.

This summer the Chilean citrus season quality has been very good and is showing high Brix with excellent taste for the summer clementine crop. The slight drought conditions in the growing region have helped with higher sugars in the early fruit.

In light of approval for import of citrus from Uruguay, Duda Farm Fresh Foods will provide customers with citrus products from March to October, including clementines, Navels, Valencia, Satsuma and other varieties of oranges as well as lemons.