TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - There have been many spectacular performances by actors in supporting roles over the years. Joe Pesci in Goodfellas and Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny immediately come to mind. The grocery store’s main stage, known as the produce department, is no different. There are products that play a starring role and there are others that play a supporting role. Sometimes, the star of the category is so big that supporting products must shine equally bright.

In the berry category, the supporting roles can be larger than many other categories' stars. In the case of raspberries, they create major sales opportunities in their own right—you might even call raspberries the Joe Pesci or Marisa Tomei of the produce department.

Raspberries have a lot going for them. They are sweet, bite-sized, and can be eaten out of hand with absolutely no mess whatsoever. It makes me wonder why they are not the star of the show—I am sure it has something to do with the rock star status achieved by strawberries. It could be that raspberries are riding the coattails of strawberries and without that star power, raspberries might just be another fruit. Kind of like Sonny without Cher or Wile E. Coyote without the Roadrunner.

No matter how you try to explain it, it is undeniable, raspberries are a star in the produce department. This fact makes it the ideal product for the Produce Moneyball treatment.

As a produce insider, you’ll undoubtedly want to know what makes raspberries tick. The accompanying chart demonstrates the late August peak in volume during week 33 followed by the consistent decline approaching the end of September in week 38.

While last year FOB costs continued to drop, even as volume waned before finally increasing in week 37, Produce Moneyball predicts a more normal year in 2022 with FOB costs in the high teens throughout August and September, but consistently increasing as volumes decrease.

It’s not always easy keeping a watchful eye on the stars, but stay close to Produce Moneyball whenever you want to go celebrity gawking in the produce department.

Mike Mauti, Managing Partner, Execulytics Consulting

Leading the Execulytics team, Mike brings more than 20 years of experience as a leader in the fresh foods industry. Over this time, Mike has gained expertise in retail operations, procurement, and merchandising. Specific skills around grocery retailing, particularly in produce buying and selling, make Mike a valuable partner for suppliers and independent retailers alike.

Execulytics Consulting