SANTA MARIA, CA - For me and many other consumers, fresh cauliflower symbolizes home-cooked comfort and versatility. The cruciferous category never goes out of style, and Gold Coast Packing has Santa Maria, California, cauliflower supplies on hand year-round. I recently spoke with Crystal Chavez, Marketing Coordinator, to get a read on the current market.

“The current market is steady, and quality is looking really nice with no issues,” she started off. “Quality and volume are very similar to this time last year. Current market pricing in Santa Maria is $12–$14 with prices slightly higher in the desert regions. This range is pretty typical for this time of the year.”

With Gold Coast’s cauliflower program being year-round, I was curious as to how weather plays a role in the market conditions. As Crystal relayed, temperatures have not posed any challenges to the grower as of late.

“We had been experiencing very warm days but cool nights for a week, but nothing to cause issues. This week, weather has definitely cooled down, providing the perfect cooler climate for growing our cauliflower,” Crystal noted.

Demand for cauliflower is seemingly steady as well, as Crystal reported that the vegetable continues to maintain a spotlight in the produce aisle.

“Cauliflower is officially no longer a trending vegetable but just a popular consumer favorite. It has gained love through the pandemic as many choose to incorporate more vegetables into their daily, home-cooked meals,” Crystal said. “Healthier eating and more plant-heavy diets will stick around, and veggie-focused plates will be staples on menus, many of them with cauliflower as the focal point.”

As a vegetarian myself, I could go for a simple yet delicious cauliflower steak any day.

The flavor-hungry writers at AndNowUKnow will continue bringing you our industry’s latest, so stay tuned.

Gold Coast Packing