“We have added a new group of senior executives across sales, operations, and strategy to lead our next phase of growth and innovation,” said Director of Sales Rodrigo Torres. “This expanded leadership team brings deep industry knowledge and is focused on enhancing customer service, driving new business development, and reinforcing our supply chain efficiency.”

Altar Produce expects its volume from Peru to increase slightly year-over-year, in line with growing demand from retail and wholesale partners. “Peru continues to be an important piece of our year-round supply model, bridging the seasonal gaps between Mexican and U.S. production regions,” Torres said. “The country’s ability to provide consistent volume, quality, and shelf-life reliability makes it a cornerstone of our program.”

Altar has expanded its consumer pack offerings in response to trends in portion control and convenience. These include microwavable bags and different bag formats. “The majority of our volume remains focused on green asparagus, which continues to dominate both retail and foodservice channels,” he said. “We are seeing renewed interest in value-added formats and alternative colors which are gaining popularity due to visual appeal and perceived nutritional benefits.”

Torres expects promotable Peruvian asparagus volumes by late September and extending through November to early December.  “Peru offers an ideal window to support fall promotions in the United States.” he said.

He noted that retailer support for Peruvian asparagus has strengthened in recent years, but added there is still room for broader industry engagement, particularly among regional and specialty retailers. For fall 2025, the company anticipates increased promotional activity driven by consumer demand for healthy and convenient vegetables during the holiday season.

“At Altar Produce, we are partnering closely with retailers to integrate asparagus into seasonal campaigns that highlight recipe versatility, clean eating, ‘food as medicine,’ and overall value,” Torres reported. “We have also seen strong results from cross-promotions with complementary items such as brussels sprouts, green beans, potatoes, and our strong and well-established green onion program.”

Industrywide, Torres expects the 2025-26 asparagus season to be largely consistent with the previous year in terms of volume and timing. “Peru continues to demonstrate a mature production base and an efficient post-harvest/export infrastructure,” he said, noting that weather and market shifts always bring an element of unpredictability, so close coordination remains essential.

Regarding the U.S. tariff on Peruvian asparagus, which is top of mind for every importer, Torres said the company is actively monitoring developments. “While it's too soon to measure the full impact, any increase in cost-of-entry could shift short-term dynamics, especially in the spot market, for larger vertically integrated companies like Altar, with multi-country sourcing and strong year-round retail programs,” he said.  “The impact can be mitigated through strategic planning, transparent cost alignment, and long-term partnerships.”

Logistics is another challenge that Altar continually monitors. “While global logistics remain dynamic, we do not anticipate major disruptions,” he said. “Thanks to our strong shipping partnerships, in-country logistics network and presence at multiple U.S. entry points, we are well-positioned to manage the flow of product efficiently.”

Altar does participate in the organic sector with asparagus but like every other Peruvian importer, it can only wait and see what happens with government regulations on Peruvian imports. “Demand for organic asparagus remains strong, particularly in coastal and urban markets,” Torres said. “However, Peruvian organic volumes remain limited due to the non-USDA-approved systems approach. To date, there has been no new movement from USDA on this front. We continue to advocate for regulatory flexibility and industry collaboration to make organic Peruvian asparagus more accessible and cost-competitive for U.S. consumers.”