FIREBAUGH, CA - This past Sunday, August 11, was known by many as Melon Day. With consumers getting their fill of the fruit for this annual celebration, Westside Produce and Classic Fruit had some updates to share about their alliance. New varieties and continued growth position the companies to keep moving forward and promote overall melon consumption.

“This spring and summer, we offered golden honeydews alongside our regular melons. The fruit has excellent eating quality and beautiful color, so we are excited to increase our acreage next year,” mentions Garrett Patricio, President of Westside Produce. “By increasing our alliance offerings and continuing to provide melons 52 weeks a year, we’ve been able to build on and grow the year-round programs we’ve established.”

The alliance primarily offers cantaloupe and honeydew during the domestic season, but the two are supplying new varieties to appeal to customers' needs, according to a press release.

“Summer is the perfect time to celebrate Melon Day because not only are melons a volume-driven commodity that offers opportunity in increasing foot traffic at store level, but it also is a great high-quality, refreshing snack alternative to the consumer,” states Tom Conrado, Vice President of West Coast Sales at Classic Fruit. “They pack a punch with Vitamin A, C, and D and are also high in potassium and beta carotene. All in all, they make the perfect, nutritional summer snack.”

Together, Westside Produce and Classic Fruit are excited about the progress they have made in year two of their strategic alliance.

“Year two has exceeded my expectations. Integration of and communication among the team has been fantastic, and when you operate collaboratively the results take care of themselves,” states Patricio.

Conrado also continued, stating, “This second year has been outstanding as we’ve really been able to reap the advantages of our current synergies to benefit our year-round programs, which allows us to keep on growing our presence.”

With the summer season still in full swing, the alliance is thrilled to celebrate Melon Day by encouraging customers to explore new ways to enjoy melons throughout the season.

Melons are always a cause for celebration, so stick with us for more on this crucial partnership.