Tiger variety highlights Stellar Distributing’s fig line
Tiger variety highlights Stellar Distributing’s fig line
MADERA, CA — Stellar Distributing introduced a new variety to its extensive California fig program several years ago.
The Tiger fig has striped green and yellow skin, a unique flavor and a bright red flesh that differentiate it from traditional figs.
Stellar is shipping figs with no break from now through mid-January due to volume from the southern California desert crop and central San Joaquin Valley crop.
The new Tiger variety will be available Aug. 1 during the main crop and will be the featured fig of the six varieties available.
“Movement has been brisk and it is hard for us to keep them supplied,” said Kurt Cappelluti, sales manager at Stellar Distributing. “We are finally coming into true production this year and we have been grooming these retailers by providing small amounts of production the last few years to entice the consumer taste buds, so to speak. They love the flavor, they love the fact that it is a different fig and when they open it up they love the bright red color they see.”
Stellar starts the season with the Sierra, Black Mission and Brown Turkey fig varieties that are grown in California’s southern desert. They then close out the season by harvesting in the central San Joaquin Valley with the breba crop in those same varieties.
“We take great pride in being able to supply figs all over the country and even into other parts of the world like Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and others,” he added. “We are getting better every year at figuring out what our customer wants and needs. It is a stressful job at times, but is worth it because they appreciate that extra effort. We also are constantly striving to find new business with figs because we feel like we have only scratched the surface of the potential in the fig industry.”
Stellar ships many pack styles for its traditional figs to fit retailers’ needs. For the new Tiger fig, the firm will ship 12 eight-ounce clams, six 12-ounce clams, eight one-pound clams, 12 one-pint baskets, half-trays, family pack trays and full trays.
