REEDLEY, CA - Fall fruit in the Northern Hemisphere is such an amazing way to pave the way into the holidays, and one of the most influential items for me has always been the persimmon category. As September guides consumers by the hand from warmer to cooler weather (fingers-crossed), Giumarra Companies is prepping its growing regions and marketing programs to partner with retail for the specialty offering.

“We have a full premium program for persimmons and look forward to adding more value to the produce department with our retail partners,” Jeannine Martin, Director of Sales, shares with me. “The crop set looks very good this year, sizing is larger than last year, and we will have more acreage in production over previous years.”

Giumarra will start packing Fuyu persimmons in Reedley around the week ending September 25 with trays, bulk, and bagged fruit for customers. The company will ship from RCS Packing & Cooling in Reedley, California.

The Fuyu variety is ready to eat with availability running from late September to early December. Hachiya baking persimmons will run from mid-October to early December, and Sugar & Spice, a proprietary ready-to-eat variety, will elevate retailers’ needs from mid-October to early November.

“We will offer our customers display bins, videos, and recipes to generate excitement in the produce department and help drive sales and traffic for our partners,” Jeannine tells me. “As one of the largest persimmon suppliers in the U.S. with all varieties combined offering full programs to our customers, we offer differentiation and value above and beyond consumer expectations.”

Additionally, the nutritional benefits of Fuyu persimmons are great to communicate to shoppers who are already drawn in by the fruit's eye-catching appearance and promising versatility—especially at a time when consumers are focused on staying healthy. High in fiber, an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese—this fruit is an opportunity category just waiting to be tapped!

Giumarra Companies