RIO RICO, AZ - Spring and summer programs are incomplete without melons. Bursting with flavor and capturing consumer interest, melons are a staple when the months heat up in the Northern Hemisphere. To keep on top of the melon market, I turned to MAS Melons’ Miguel “Mikee” Suarez Jr. of Sales.

“We are currently three weeks into our spring SL watermelon program and we are excited to add more melons to the menu. Our spring/summer honeydew program is just about to get underway out of Caborca, Mexico. We have honeydew set for harvest this weekend, and the quality on the fields is looking excellent,” Mikee explained. “The weather is now ideal for melon growing so we expect good quality all through the month of June and into July.”

Alongside its Desert Pride honeydew, MAS Melons will have its newest variety available for market: The Orange Candy Melon. Both of these varieties will be available from MAS starting Monday, May, 24, with supply available all of June and into July.

“The Orange Candy Melon has a bright yellow exterior with an orange-fleshed interior. The flavor is similar to a cantaloupe but much more concentrated and juicer, resulting in a melon that tastes like candy!” Mikee imparted.

Wrapping up out of Central America and in parts of Northern Mexico, MAS Melons is seeing Caborca and northern parts of Sonora due to start harvest this week. This will take MAS Melons’ supply through the next month and into July, Mikee noted, adding that promotional volumes look promising for June.

“Due to COVID-19, everything seems to be in flux still. This includes pricing of fruit, transportation, and even trouble with packing supply shortages due to different transportation, production, and other reasons,” Mikee expressed. “Even with all of these issues potentially affecting the market, we feel that the spring melon season has been good as a whole and should continue that way.”

As MAS continues to drive value in the market, I asked Mikee how the company continues to keep category sales strong.

“This one is simple: growing great-tasting melons,” he said. “From our honeydews to our Orange Candy, to our mini watermelon and even the XL watermelons, we try to grow tasty high-quality fruit for our customers to enjoy. We stand by our Desert Pride brand honeydews and love to show our customers what a high-quality, high-brix melon can taste like.”

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MAS Melons