LA QUINTA, CA - Slice ’em, dice ’em, any way you like ’em the market loves them, too: bell peppers. As we dive into the holiday season, they are more in demand than ever, motivating buyers to plan ahead for category displays and lucrative promotions. One company helping the buy-side keep shelves stocked is Prime Time International and its premium bell pepper program.

“Currently, Prime Time is just starting to wind down production on the California Central Coast and is just beginning to harvest bell peppers in the Coachella Valley, while maintaining light volume out of Mexico,” Katy Johnson, Purchasing and Marketing Manager, shares with me. “Higher market prices, less volume across the board, and much higher growing costs have all contributed to the current season’s tighter market conditions.”

Katy continues to detail the characteristics of the current timing, adding that as the growing season slows down to a crawl in the U.S. next month, Prime Time will begin to increase in multiple locations throughout Mexico for the winter.

Right now, the bulk of Prime Time’s red and yellow peppers are being picked and packed in Prime Time’s Somis, California, location with green bell peppers coming from Coachella, California.

“Overall, quality has been very good this year. Volume has been steady, but lighter due to fewer acres planted in 2022 than previous years,” Katy explains. “Demand has decreased from previous years, due to increased prices. For Prime Time, the seasonal average has been higher than the last few years and the total volume has been lower.”

A lot of things affect these conditions, Katy notes, but mainly higher farming costs as she mentioned, as well as labor and water issues, supply chain struggles, and the economy, are some of the major factors.

As we dive deeper into fall, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow on the day’s bell pepper market and more produce department drivers.

Prime Time International