Royal Food Service Logo with a light blue banner to celebrate 30 years
Customer Portal
Royal Food Service Logo with a light blue banner to celebrate 30 years
Customer Portal
Royal Food Service Logo with a light blue banner to celebrate 30 years
The Latest on Our Greatest

September 23, 2024

Vegetables

Loading...

Asparagus

The market remains active, especially on larger sizes, as both Mexico and Peru are producing less than anticipated volumes. Markets are expected to improve over the next week or so as both growing regions are expected to open new fields.

Lettuce

Iceberg: Supplies are abundant on the West coast this week. Quality is excellent and the market is steady. Leaf: The market is steady on all leaf items as the warm temperatures over the last few weeks have lead to a surplus in supply. Quality is excellent. Tender Leaf: Spinach and arugula supplies have improved, with much more volume on the market than in previous weeks. Quality is fair to good.

Avocados

Heavy rains in Mexico over the past week have caused avocados to size up. As a result, smaller sizes in the 60-70ct range have tightened up, while 48ct and larger are more abundant.

Onions

Harvesting in the Northwest regions is expected to be finished within the next few weeks. Yellow prices are low and steady while reds and whites remain slightly elevated due to stronger demand. Quality is excellent.

Broccoli, Cauliflower

Both the cauliflower and broccoli markets have become tight due to widespread insect pressures in the fields. Expect prices to be higher this week.

Peppers

The colored pepper market is finally starting to ease as the cooler temperatures seen out West over the past few weeks have caused production to rebound. Green bell peppers remain steady in the East, with Georgia crop expected to start harvesting in early October.

Celery

Supplies are abundant out of Oxnard and Santa Maria and quality remains excellent.

Potatoes

Harvesting is expected to be compete in the Northwest within the next few weeks, after which we will transition to storage. Size profiles on the new crop are leaning towards larger sizes, with smaller sizes being more limited.

Corn

Supplies remain tight out of the Northern regions leading to elevated prices. Quality is fair.

Squash, Zucchini

Production in North Carolina and Georgia is going strong with respectable volume and excellent quality being seen out of both regions.

Cucumbers

Georgia’s fall season has started in a light way, and North Carolina and Michigan still remain in the mix. The market is steady.

Green Onion, Cilantro & Parsley

Green Onions: Supplies are tight as the extreme heat and humidity has taken its toll on quality and yields. Prices remain elevated. Cilantro & Parsley: Cilantro and parsley supplies are abundant this week. Quality is fair to good.

Eggplant

Georgia has started production in a light way, with volumes expected to ramp up quickly within the next week or so.

Green Beans

Supplies have tightened up once again due to cooler weather and heavy rains in the Northern growing regions over the past week. Expect light supplies and elevated markets for the next week or so until production moves further south.

Fruits

Loading...

STRAWBERRIES

Salinas and Watsonville are winding down while Santa Maria, the next growing region, is ramping up. There is a discrepancy in pricing between old and new crop product. The market is steady to slightly higher.

MELONS

Cantaloupe: Supplies are abundant on all sizes. The market is low and steady. California will be finishing up through mid-October, with Yuma to follow shortly after. Honeydew: Production has picked back up on all sizes. Supplies are abundant and the market is steady. Watermelons: Supplies are starting to decline as the cooler weather sets in. Markets are still expected to remain steady through the month of October.

BLACKBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, AND RASPBERRIES

Blackberries: Demand continues to exceed supply. Central Mexico is slated to begin in a light way within the next week or so which should help to boost supplies and soften the market. Blueberries: Supplies are extremely limited as the Pacific Northwestern season has come to an early end due to weather related issues coupled with excessive school demand. Expect a tight market until production in Mexico can get going around early October. Raspberries: Fruit out of Baja and Mexico is becoming more abundant. Markets are still high but relief is expected within the next week or so.

PINEAPPLE

Supplies out of Mexico are slowly starting to rebound, however Costa Rican product is still light due to continuous insufficient rainfall. New crop in Costa Rica should start within the next few weeks which will help bring markets down.

LEMONS, LIMES, ORANGES

Lemons: Markets are relatively steady as supply is meeting demand. The desert regions of California and Arizona will be starting towards the end of the month which will bring improved quality and lower markets. Limes: Markets are starting to decline as more new crop fruit hits the market. Quality is improving week over week. Oranges: Supplies remain extremely limited as the end of the Valencia season quickly approaches. Some offshore navels are available but not enough to fill the void of Valencias. Domestic navels are slated to start in mid-October.

STONEFRUIT

Nectarines and peaches are both quickly approaching the end of their seasons. Plums, however, are expected to remain steady well into November. Pomegranates have started in a light way, and domestic kiwi is right around the corner.

GRAPES

Markets have seen a slight uptick, especially on smaller sizes as supplies are tighter this week. Large and extra large grapes remain abundant.

TOMATOES

Supplies have greatly improved as Tennessee, Baja, California and Central Mexico are all putting out respectable volume. Quality is excellent and the market is steady.