John Duffus, director of sales and marketing for The Garlic Co. in Bakersfield, CA, said the company has offered an organic line for more than 15 years.

“We offer garlic in a variety of forms: whole bulb, peeled, diced, VakPak, frozen, roasted and puree form,” said Mr. Duffus. “And all these forms can be made with organic product. We sell the majority of our garlic in peeled and whole bulb form. This holds true for our organic products as well.”

The Garlic Co. is a grower-packer-shipper, and its products are produced in Kern County, CA. Its primary customer base is the foodservice industry and in industrial operations. The company’s products are distributed nationwide.

Mr. Duffus said that he can speak only for the garlic industry in relation to the economic downturn during the past few years. “And garlic is somewhat unique,” he noted. “Because garlic is so strong and durable, during the past two decades competition has switched dramatically from solely domestic to worldwide. China grows around 80 percent of the world’s garlic. And in a normal year, it is difficult to match its low costs.

“Accordingly over the time, our customer base has evolved to be comprised of buyers who want the exceptional flavor of California garlic and the ‘peace of mind’ in the overall quality of the product,” he continued. “As the U.S. economy has struggled some in recent years, we, fortunately, have not been affected too much.”

Mr. Duffus added that it’s easy to observe that people may not be eating out as often, but over the years garlic has grown to become a staple item in restaurants and in consumers’ kitchens.

“People who want the lowest cost garlic available — or who view garlic more as a novelty item — probably lost true interest in California garlic many years ago,” he said. “The recent economic issues would not be as great of a factor.”

Because garlic has become more of a staple item in America’s cuisine, and because it is a relatively low-cost food item that adds tremendous flavor to dishes, it is less susceptible to being affected by a poor economy.

“People appreciate the positive health benefits associated with eating garlic, and they like the idea of ‘eating something [that tastes] good,” added Mr. Duffus. “Organic garlic only continues along this same line of thinking. If a consumer is going to spend a hard-earned dollar, he or she feels good spending on fresh, organic produce, which in turn, is good for their health. In summary, despite the current economic state in the U.S., interest in organic garlic continues to grow.”

He said that the company’s sales are presently average to a little better than average. Its harvest should be completed around mid-September, and around that time the industry will have a better idea of how much garlic China will have for the world market in the coming year.

“We’ll then have a better sense of if the coming year will be decent or better than average,” said Mr. Duffus.

The locally grown movement, he feels, goes somewhat hand-in-hand with the increased interest in organic products.

“While organic provides the peace of mind of a natural product, locally grown can provide the peace of mind that you personally know the grower-source and his or her practices,” he said. “Both can ensure the consumer of the quality of the produce.”

The Garlic Co. continually makes upgrades and improvements to its facilities.

“In the past year, we have added onto our onsite cold storage,” said Mr. Duffus. “This gives us a greater ability to store our garlic appropriately: in a controlled-atmosphere environment.”

He says that the company believes that the interest in organic garlic is here to stay.

“Despite the higher cost associated with organic product, the interest continues to increase,” he said. “It is overlapped with the entire concept of providing a higher-quality product ‘from farm to plate.’“