Homegrown Organic gratified by thriving organic industry
Homegrown Organic gratified by thriving organic industry
Cherie France, marketing manager for Homegrown Organic Farms, said customer demand for organic produce is still generating enthusiasm and excitement. “Demand continues to outweigh supply. Our expanding customer and grower base goes to prove that organics is not going away,” she told The Produce News. “We are always encouraged by the continued excitement and commitment from our retailers in the organic programs. Our industry continues to grow within its proficiency of marketing organic produce to the public. The future of the organic produce industry is very bright.”
At the current time, Homegrown is harvesting organic blueberries and stone fruit. “We completed another exciting and successful California blueberry season the end of May and look to begin the peak of our organic blueberry production out of Oregon mid-June,” France stated. “Our California stone fruit program will continue through the end of August.”
Sustained warm winter and short springtime weather patterns resulted in early starts to the California blueberry and stone fruit seasons. “Our Oregon blueberry production was also early by almost two weeks,” she commented.
Earlier this year, Homegrown announced a sublicense agreement with Giumarra on the “DulceVida” brand stone fruit. “We’re expecting our first commercial crop of organic DulceVida varieties to be harvested in 2016,” France said. “We’re confident that our customers will be pleased with the uniqueness of the line, and this addition will only enhance the already diverse Homegrown stone fruit program.”
Last year, Homegrown introduced its new “EcoPac” label for stone fruit and fall fruit items. “The EcoPac brand was created to build up the emerging value-buy market and offer healthy organic fruit at a price everyone can afford,” France went on to say. “As always our customers can expect a steady supply of premium organic peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots available from May through the middle of August.”
New four-count peach, four-count nectarine and one-pound plum clams will be added, facilitating complete viewability of the fruit.
The company’s customer base is primarily located in North America.
