NOGALES, AZ - Good things come to those who wait, and in this case Mother Nature saw fit to make the industry and those we serve wait for melons coming out of Mexico. Though the weather might have set harvest back just over a week compared to previous years, yield is coming up and flavor is more than on track, according to the experts.

“Quality is looking fantastic and among some of the best we have seen,” Cesar Pacheco, Sales Manager of Giumarra Nogales, shares. “Volume will also remain constant throughout the fall season.”

Though heavy rains during the planting and growing frame delayed the season by about 10 to 12 days, the melons themselves are looking good and will be here in time for those post-Thanksgiving holiday promotions.

“The melon market is slowly moving up,” Cesar says when I ask about where the category currently stands in terms of volume. Demand, he adds, looks as if it will closely match offerings. “Overall, it might slow down for a few days because of the holiday, but right after Thanksgiving, demand will increase.”

Honing in on key attributes drawing shoppers in, besides the stellar quality Giumarra is currently seeing come in, Cesar tells me the team is seeing that larger sizes are in heavier demand than smaller ones.

As we look toward the fruits of our patience, and the onset of holiday demand, AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up to date on all the key categories influencing our industry.

The Giumarra Companies