The supply of raspberries and blackberries is tighter right now. "They are very hard to get and if you get some, they are expensive," says Mike Soufan of Freestone Produce Inc., a discount wholesaler/retailer in Calgary, Alberta.
On supply, Mexico is winding down its volumes of raspberries and blackberries while some raspberry supply is coming from Peru. "We are all waiting for Florida to get going with blackberries and there's not much raspberry volume coming out of California," he says, adding that even strawberries are seeing supply pressure. "Strawberries were coming in heavily last week but then things turned with cooler weather and Mother's Day. In Florida, things are very late this year. Usually, at this time of year, you'd get truckloads of blackberries from Florida and there's not much coming in due to cold weather there."
Strong demand despite pricing
Meanwhile, berries continue generally to grow in consumption and garner strong demand–which is also pressuring supply, particularly with Mother's Day ahead. Soufan says this continues, even when raspberries and blackberries see strong pricing, as they are right now. "I got three truckloads last week and sold them all in three days–I was shocked at how the demand for them was," he says, adding in the 15 years his company has been in business in Calgary, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries have seen the biggest increase in consumption and demand, along with avocado and papaya.
Soufan anticipates greater supply to come on once the weather warms up in the growing regions.
For more information:
Mike Soufan
Freestone Produce Inc.
Tel: +1 403-248-4466
[email protected]
www.freestoneproduce.com/