Leading US Medjool date brand has been investing in the category and will employ an expanded marketing programme this season
Natural Delights has entered the 2026/27 crop year with strong quality, ample volume and an early harvest, giving the nation’s leading Medjool date brand a solid foundation to build on the significant growth the date category has experienced over the last five years.
Harvest began in early August in Bard Valley, where favourable weather throughout the growing season has produced strong fruit quality and volume expected to meet retail demand throughout the coming year. The conditions are a welcome change from the previous two seasons, when rain arrived early in the harvest window and created additional challenges for growers.
“We couldn’t ask for a better way to begin the new season,” said David Baxter, CEO of Natural Delights. “The fruit looks excellent, we feel very good about our volume, and the early harvest puts us in a strong position to support our retail partners throughout the year. Just as importantly, we’re entering the season with tremendous momentum behind the category and some exciting plans for how Natural Delights will continue driving that growth.”
Over the past five years, the date category has nearly doubled and grown to become the largest segment within dried fruit at retail, according to Circana data. Natural Delights has fuelled that expansion through sustained investment in consumer education, product innovation, merchandising and marketing programs designed to introduce more shoppers to Medjool dates and expand the number of occasions that people enjoy them.
“We’ve spent years investing in the entire category because we believe the opportunity for Medjool dates extends far beyond a single holiday, recipe or consumer group,” Baxter said. “Every time we help someone discover dates as an everyday snack, a wellness ingredient or something they can incorporate into their normal routine, we create another reason for them to come back to the produce department. That commitment to growing consumption has been central to Natural Delights’ strategy.”
Natural Delights will continue that investment during the 2026/27 season with an expanded marketing programme designed to drive awareness, trial and repeat purchase while supporting retailers in capturing the category’s continued momentum. This year’s efforts will include exciting new developments that Natural Delights plans to preview at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show in October.
The brand will also build on what has become a highly successful public relations programme incorporating consumer and food media, influencer partnerships, registered dietitian support and experiential events that showcase Medjool dates as both a convenient everyday snack and a versatile health and wellness ingredient.
Cross-promotional advertising and digital marketing efforts will further connect Natural Delights with consumers online, helping the brand introduce dates in new contexts and alongside complementary products and lifestyle occasions. Together, those programs are designed to keep Medjool dates and specialty date varieties visible throughout the year while creating more opportunities for retailers to merchandise the category beyond its traditional seasonal peaks.
“Growing a category requires consistency,” Baxter added. “It’s not one campaign or one innovation. It’s showing up year after year with great fruit, strong retail partnerships, consumer education and marketing that keeps finding new ways to make dates relevant. We’re incredibly proud of the role Natural Delights has played in growing this category over the past five years, but we believe there is still tremendous runway ahead.”
With strong new crop supply and an expanded marketing strategy in place, Natural Delights sees the upcoming season as another opportunity to build on the category’s momentum while continuing to broaden how and when consumers enjoy Medjool dates.
