OXNARD, CA - While this industry is always on the go, some days the stars align and we ride the same wavelength. Such was the case when I reached out to Cindy Jewell, who heads up marketing for Bobalu.

“Perfect timing!” greeted my inbox, with photos direct from the field as she explored the current fall crop with Vice President of Sales, Anthony Gallino. “I had a great day on location with the guys, visiting fields and tasting fruit along the way.”

Providing beautiful strawberries for the fall and winter is the current focus for the rapidly growing company, which was disappointed not to be able to have a Fresh Summit to showcase all that is currently underway—and there is plenty to share.

“We are excited about the fact that, in 2022, our acreage and volume in our Northern California region will easily transition from Oxnard, California, winter and spring volume into summer and fall with comparable supply, and are looking forward to growing and shipping organic strawberries in next year,” Cindy commented as we look ahead to the pieces the grower is strategically putting in place.

Currently getting into the fall 2021 peak season in Santa Maria, California, Cindy tells me the plant health is looking strong, along with tons of flower and green fruit pushing through. Mother Nature, for the moment, has delivered great weather conditions, and buyers should hope to see a successful fall season taking us into Thanksgiving—a welcome reprieve for climbing demand.

At the same time, Bobalu is planting its 2022 crop in Oxnard with eyes on next year’s growth.

“We are focused on our continued expansion in 2022, on food safety and sustainability, and our success in connecting with shoppers to build brand loyalty. We have been actively building supply and year-round availability, being diligent about structuring other regions to match the volume we ship from Oxnard—which has served as our largest growing region for the past several years—so our year-round program has consistent supply for our key customers,” Cindy shared.

Bobalu has also been expanding its connection with consumers, building a library of exclusive recipes developed by its influencer partners.

“Our partnership has expanded our resources and dialogue with shoppers as more and more people learn about Bobalu berries and the family story,” Cindy explained, adding it is unfortunate the team couldn’t do the same on the industry side in New Orleans this October. “We are disappointed that PMA Fresh Summit was cancelled, and hope to be able to attend an in-person show soon!”

As we hunker down for the upcoming holiday season, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest in fresh produce news.

Bobalu