Berry People has kicked off its organic strawberry season from Baja California in Mexico, having recently completed a successful first year of operations.
The strawberries, which are available in an 8 x 1lb and 12 x 8.8oz formats, will ramp up in volume in January, peak from February through April, and taper off in June, the company said.
The Baja season comes at a time when US domestic production is limited, providing retailers and their customers with an alternative and reliable supply of organic strawberries.
Berry People is now investing in new acreage that will deliver substantial volumes in November and December from next season.
“We are thankful for our strong following on Baja organic strawberries, due largely to the quality of work done by our alliance partner in that region,” said company president Jerald Downs.
“Not only is the growing area conducive to quality organic production in general, but our strawberries are grown and packed with real craftsmanship, where the minor details are given rigorous and recurring attention, producing an excellent and trustworthy product.
“We are grateful for the industry support we’ve received to date, and we are at the same time challenged to improve our overall offering and execution to the brand promise of a year-round and full-line supply of branded organicberries.”
Berry People credits the close personal relationships it has built up along the supply chain with its growth since it started operations in late 2017 and says the stage is set for further expansion in 2019.
“We are building an experienced and well-balanced team, establishing our distribution and supply footprints, and developing important summertime production to finish out our year-round presence,” Downs said.
He added that shareholders recently completed a substantial 2018 equity capital contribution in preparation for 2019’s projected growth.
“A strong balance sheet and sufficient capital resources are important to stay in the vanguard as to the marketplace’s product and service needs, whether that be in the development of new varieties, pack-styles and technologies, investment into new facilities, or in the provision of harvest advances to key outside growers,” Downs said.
The company’s most recent appointments includeDamon Barkdull and Tom Henslee, who collectively bring over 50 years of experience in produce sales and category management.
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