SACRAMENTO, CA - The holidays are a source of both joy and stress, and I think anyone who works in the produce industry can attest to this duality. Balancing the books, ensuring the ultimate retail display, tracking down loads to fulfill demand—I think it’s safe to say that both suppliers and buyers feel the pressure during this time of year.

I spoke with several industry members, who walked me through some retail best practices and insights into what current markets look like across key categories.

“With shoppers planning holiday parties and family gatherings, it’s definitely a challenge for retailers at this time of year to keep up with demand for fresh items like strawberries,” remarked Cindy Jewell, President at Jewell Marketing. “Weather challenges both on the supply side and receiving end could be a factor, so it is critical that buyers and sellers communicate daily on market conditions to keep displays fully stocked throughout the holiday season.”

Berries aren’t the only category that drive shoppers to the store during the holidays—citrus also plays a large role in demand.

“Citrus and the holidays go hand in hand,” Sean Nelsen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fowler Packing, shared with me. “I love working with retailers to build big displays in store and a creative digital presence to generate omnichannel sales. Successful holiday promotions are a catalyst for continued sales momentum throughout the season. Early planning allows for bigger movement and creativity, which translates to higher dollar growth. Peelz™ partners are ready to crush the holiday season.”

As you can see, a consistent theme across the advice given to buyers is fairly simple: Communicate with your supplies. They’re more than happy to alert you to the ins and outs of their programs, and you’ll be better off knowing how to plan around any potential dips in supply.

In terms of supply on the vegetable front, The Nunes Company had a few words to share.

“There is excellent quality coming out of the desert with an adequate supply of fresh vegetables to meet the demand for the holiday push,” noted Stephanie Cantero, Communications and Marketing Coordinator.

We’ll continue to keep our eyes peeled on the state of the industry as we head deeper into the holiday push, so stay tuned to ANUK.