Bite-Sized Fruit. Big Kiwi Energy.
Kiwi berries are one of those fleeting Northwest crops that make September-October produce departments a little more interesting. Smaller, sweeter and more aromatic than their fuzzy cousins, they’re an easy snack with no peeling required. Think lunch boxes, snack packs, smoothies, fruit boards, salads or simply eat them by the handful.
Pear Toolkit
The Northwest pear season has arrived with plenty of showstoppers, from crisp and juicy Asian pears to well-loved varieties like Bartlett and with lesser-known varieties like Forelle soon to come.
Help Your Team Sell Organic with Confidence
To help you build confidence in that role, OGC is partnering with the Oregon Organic Coalition on September 23 from 9–11 AM for a FREE virtual training, Strengthening Organic Retail Through Merchandising, Education & Integrity.
Apple Toolkit
A crisp feeling in the air and the crunch of leaves underfoot are classic fall feelings, but autumn needs a quintessential crisp and crunchy fruit to go with it. To make sure your department matches the season, OGC has a steady stream of delicious and unique apple varieties all fall long. With over 60 varieties throughout the season, celebrate the harvest by promoting fan favorites and bring in special heirloom varieties to help your department or menu stand out.
Back to Routine Starts in Produce
As summer winds down and life picks up speed, shoppers are getting back to packed lunches, quick breakfasts, after-school snacks and the nightly question: What’s for dinner? That's where the produce department shines.
Fresh, organic produce naturally meets the moment. Peak-season fruits and veggies are flavorful, snackable and ready to work across breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks and weeknight meals. They make eating well feel just a little bit easier, and tastier.
A Bunch Beyond the Basics
September hits the sweet spot for organic grapes. California fruit is still rolling in while Northwest vineyards are hitting their stride, bringing some of the most flavorful and interesting varieties of the year. It’s a great time to go beyond red and green and build a grape display that invites shoppers to discover something new.
Don’t Rush the Season
We get it. September is coming. The coffee shops are rolling out the pumpkin spice lattes, and school is back in session in a few weeks. But for the produce department, there’s still a whole lot of summer left to sell.
Go Bananas for GROW Month
GROW stands for Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers, a program created by Organics Unlimited to support the communities where its fruit is grown. Every case of GROW bananas contributes $0.60 to the program.
2026 Summer Update
Our latest Update for Friends of OGC is here, filled with stories about the people, partnerships and ideas helping us grow the organic agriculture movement.
Inside, we’re celebrating the gloriousness of summer fruit, coworkers stepping into new leadership roles, small ideas making a big sustainability impact and how we’re exploring new technology that’s hitting the road.
A Northwest Tomato For Every Summer Meal
Northwest tomato season is firing on all cylinders. Whether shoppers are after a thick slice for a BLT, handfuls of sweet cherry tomatoes or colorful heirlooms for summer entertaining, nearly every tomato category is tasting great and available in promotable volume. This is the moment to build brimming displays that celebrate the incredible variety of tomato season.
Peak NW Melon Season Is Here. Time to Go Big.
Now's the time to build the giant display, schedule the melon demo, order the bin and give shoppers a reason to fill their cart. We've rounded up the varieties available, dive into this year's dry-farmed melon crop (why they matter, how they're grown and why one bite usually turns curious eaters into believers) and why August is the month to go big.
NW Melon Season is Off to a Tasty Start
Melons have been on since May from Mexico and California and as the Northwest season kicks off, OGC’s melon buyer Rachel Pienovi is sourcing delicious melon from growers in Hermiston, Oregon and Eltopia, Washington.
Northwest Open Pint Blueberries Are On
Blueberries are one of the flavors of summer, and at Mckay Creek Farm in North Plains, Oregon, the season is just getting underway.
Grape Toolkit
From organic seedless table grapes and candy seedless specialty varieties to Northwest-grown options and Ladybug Brand recyclable grape totes, there’s a lot to know and love about this tasty category.
Chase This Season’s Juiciest Fruit
OGC Stone Fruit Buyer Brian Keogh spends months talking to growers, evaluating varieties and sourcing the season's best fruit. Head over to OGC’s blog and watch “BK” slice and bite into the varieties turning heads, staining shirts and reminding us why summer tastes so good.
Harvesting Wisdom: Unlock the Magic of Melons
Organic melons kick off their season in April/May from Mexico with a limited selection. As harvest moves north to California, two primary regions contribute: the desert offers fruit in June/July, while the Central Valley starts in early June and extends through the fall. The Northwest season begins in mid-July, peaks in early August, and concludes as the weather cools in early September. OGC wraps up the season with a limited offering from Mexico in October and November.
Bring On the Bold Flavor of Asian Greens
Download point of purchase shelf signage so shoppers have also the info they need about these great greens.
Get Ready for Grilling
Make way for the melon bin and get the briquettes front and center: Memorial Day Weekend will be here before you know it, marking the unofficial start of summer and kicking off the season’s grilling holidays. Shoppers will be looking for the classic barbecue fare, organic Northwest grown goods to add some regional flair and anything to eat on or around a hot dog. Don’t wait to stock up on the flavors of the season:
Stock Up on Mother’s Day Essentials
Mother’s Day is just over a week away, and shoppers are starting to scheme an elaborate brunch or special breakfast in bed. Make sure all the moms in your neck of the woods are spoiled by packing your department full of festive favorites.
Earth Week 2026
We’re out in the field with Dr. Shannon Cappellazzi of Oregon State University, getting hands-on with a fresh pull of organic cover crop and soil.