SALINAS, CA - Offering a plethora of different usages and countless health benefits, there is no wrong time to promote celery in the produce aisle. To get the latest look at the celery market, I got in touch with Duda Farm Fresh Foods to see what the spring and summer seasons hold for the popular category.

“The celery we are harvesting now was grown through the coldest months of the year—the middle of January through the middle of March,” explains Greg Lewis, Senior Director, Western Operations. “The crop is a little behind schedule, but quality still remains very good. While some other shippers are having to navigate seeder issues, our customers and consumers can remain confident that our quality will not suffer.”

Rick Alococer, Senior Vice President of Sales, also jumps in to explain that upcoming months are known for seeders to appear in celery crops, but Duda has taken steps to ensure it doesn’t face these issues.

“Although late April and May are notorious months for seeders to appear in celery, Duda proprietary celery varieties are seeder resistant during this time frame and provide retailers with the same consistent quality they prefer year-round,” describes Rick.

Right now, Duda is experiencing heavy supplies and good quality available in all of its growing districts on the East and West Coasts.

The grower anticipates a steadying of the market as Richard Uchida, Western Sales Manager, explains to me.

“At this time last year, there was a tremendous amount of panic buying due to the pandemic,” says Richard. “As more of us get vaccinated, we should see buying patterns normalize with both foodservice and retail business.”

With promotional volumes and pricing available, now is a great time for buyers to stock up on celery as food-centric holidays like Memorial Day and Fourth of July are right around the bend. So, reach out to your Duda sales reps to get ready for the rush!

Duda Farm Fresh Foods