Great Grilling Sets to Inspire Memorial Day Meals and More!
The unofficial start to grilling season is just around the corner as Memorial Day nears! Great for eaters looking forward to dining al fresco and fantastic for driving sales across the department as shoppers fill their carts for spring and summer festivities. While the BBQs are getting dusted off, don’t miss opportunities to capitalize on fresh eating! Produce-packed salads, desserts and fruit and vegetable platters abound this season.
Pay extra attention to stocking these items over the next few months to satiate your shoppers’ cravings!
Get Your Green & White Asparagus from Northwest Growers!
Longer days and warmer nights have spears of organic asparagus poking up from their beds in the Pacific Northwest, much to the delight of eaters and growers! Once considered a fancy food, asparagus has become a mainstay in the kitchen, and shoppers are finding ways to incorporate it into meals any time of day.
California Stone Fruit Season Starts With Promises of a Sweet Summer!
The first varieties of stone fruit have begun to arrive from our grower partners in California. While the Northwest remains decidedly in the clutch of springtime’s cool temps and intermittent showers, these juicy gems are a delicious reminder that warmer days are on the way!
Learn what to expect in this stone fruit forecast!
Ruby Red Rhubarb from Montecucco Farms
With a history of family farming in the region that spans a century, Montecucco Farms is a familiar name in Oregon and across the West Coast. Known for their exceptional organic rhubarb, a legion of fans look to Montecucco Farms each spring to satisfy cravings for this tart and tempting seasonal crop.
Rhubarb season is on, with crews harvesting tasty stalks from the farm’s picturesque field adjacent to the lovely Willamette River.
Eaters Are Loving Gem Avocado!
The first cases of organic Gem avocado made their way up to the Pacific Northwest this week, and feedback from avocado enthusiasts across the region is that Gem is a hit! Large, nutty and delicious, Gem is a California-grown treasure.
Satisfy Fruit Cravings with Intriguing Import Pears
While eaters wait for May harvests in Mexico and California to bring sweet cantaloupe and honeydew melons, juicy grapes, first-of-the-season golden apricots and plump red cherries, it's a great time to focus on the import pear category. Lure shoppers with interesting varieties from Argentina. Look to these three organic pears' alluring shapes and colors to add visual appeal to displays and phenomenal flavor to shoppers’ cheese plates and baked goods!
Available Now! Colorful & Crunchy Radishes From NW Growers
A simple sautée, a pull through good butter, or snacked on straight from the bunch, organic Northwest-grown radishes are a splendid springtime delight and there’s a lot to explore in this seasonal category!
Go Big on Sublime Citrus Now! Slimmed Down Sets Showcasing Staples Are Up Next!
With just a few short weeks of availability left on many citrus varieties, now’s the time to go all out on stunning displays featuring Navel, Cara Cara, Blood oranges and late-season mandarins such as Gold Nugget, Murcott and Pixie. As the diversity of citrus offerings wane over the next month, plan to transition to slimmed-down citrus sets featuring delicious staple varieties.
Calçot: Not Quite a Leek, Nor a Green Onion. Definitely Delicious.
Catalans know this alluring allium as a harbinger of spring and good times shared over plates of grilled food. Now, your shoppers can now enjoy this special scallion variety that is described as similar to a leek, larger than a green onion and milder in flavor than both.
Spring Outlook From OGC’s Expert Team of Buyers
OGC’s dedicated buying team shares commodity updates for what’s happening now, and what’s to come this season. Use their notes to anticipate challenges, lean into promotable items and plan your sets over the next few months!
Shake Off Winter with Northwest-Grown Raab
With spring officially arriving in just a matter of days, eaters are turning their attention to the light, bright and tender treats this season offers. One quintessential crop that excites both growers and eaters is raab.
T’Orange Citron: Lots of Bang for Your Buck!
Watch this quick video to learn from OGC Account Representative Monique Kirby why T’Orange citron is a cost-effective way to build out your citrus display or bring plenty of tasty lemon flavor into your bar or kitchen.
Ladybug Brand Potatoes Offer Outstanding Quality & Sustainable Packaging
Shoppers seeking high-quality organic potatoes without the plastic packaging will be thrilled to meet Ladybug Brand potatoes!
Available in 100% compostable 3 lb. kraft paper bags, these cheery totes deliver all the taste with less waste. Plus, the convenience of a grab and go package!
Lunar New Year
Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with Citrus for Luck!
February 1st marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year and slinking in alongside it, the Water Tiger. Associated with bravery, confidence and strength, the cunning tiger’s appearance feels especially auspicious at this moment.
Revelers looking to ring in a fierce new year will look to citrus and other traditional dishes to bring luck, so be sure those displays are looking exceptionally opulent to entice eaters!
Frost Kissed Artichokes: Imperfect & Extra Delicious
Dubbed as Frost Kissed by our grower partner Ocean Mist, these limited-time artichokes boast a nutty, sweet flavor that has been enhanced by the cold, a benefit of this weather impact. Once cooked, Frost Kissed artichokes appear as green and vibrant as one normally expects.
Microgreens Pack Nutritional Punch
Healthful eating is top of mind this time of year, especially as eaters work diligently to combat colds and flu alongside ticking off their resolutions. Small but mighty, organic microgreens cram a lot of nutrients into a tiny package, making them a top choice for easy incorporation into existing meals and menus.
The Heart of Citrus Season Starts Now!
OGC’s Citrus Buyer, Don Mayfield, and Sales Manager Brendon O’Shea talk about the fruit that is eating well now and what’s to come, merchandising tips, and why this year, in particular, you’ll want to grab favorite varieties of sublime citrus while they last!
Zest, Juice, Candy, Bake: Culinary Citrus to Brighten Seasonal Feasting
The season of edible gifting and feasting is a time for sublime citrus to shine! Whether sharing a tasty baked good, passing a dish across the table or clinking glasses, there’s a variety for every occasion. Bring in these varieties to inspire shoppers to sneak some sunshine into every gift, slice, bite and sip!
New and Exciting: Cured Winter Squash!
For eaters that can’t get enough organic winter squash, this season has been a delicious exploration of familiar favorites like Delicata and Kabocha and some new-to-them varieties like Robin’s Koginut.
With the addition of a new lineup of cured winter squash varieties, the season only stands to get more interesting!
Snack and Gift Deliciously with Satsuma Mandarins and Date Rolls
No other time of year centers food as gifts quite the way that the winter holidays do. Whether gathering in person or dropping off a treat on a doorstep, there’s delicious and nutritious snacks to share! Lovely on their own, or as part of a decadent gift basket, organic Satsuma mandarins and packaged date rolls both are perfect picks for eaters craving alternatives to cookies and candy!