California sweet potatoes are in high demand as retailers prepare their shelves for the Easter rush.
“This Easter we are seeing sweet potato sales increase with the seasonal rush. The sweet potato category continues to grow in popularity year after year during Easter,” says Prescott Leyba, sales account manager for Country Sweet Produce, Inc. who grows the majority of its Bako Sweet® line of sweet potatoes in Bakersfield, CA. He notes that the Easter holiday is one of three major holidays for sweet potato dishes, following Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Post-Easter, demand tends to go back to normal. “But every year that normal shifts as sweet potatoes gain momentum with consumers,” says Leyba. “We expect to see a relatively consistent level of demand until the weather starts cooling down again in the fall.”
Country Sweet's potatoes are grown in hotbeds to trap the heat and keep them growing right on time for harvest in the fall.
Thinking beyond orange
Demand continues to extend beyond the traditional orange sweet potato. “We’re seeing a lot of excitement over different varieties and while the most popular is the orange, a lot of consumers are also gravitating towards the (purple) Murasaki sweet potato and then the (white) O’Henry sweet potato,” says Alexandra Molumby, marketing manager for Country Sweet Produce, who notes that Country Sweet Produce is focusing on promoting its variety specific 14 oz. steam bags.
As for pricing, it is strengthening. “It is typical for storage crop prices to increase the further you are from when the product was harvested,” says Leyba. “Our industry is facing fairly significant inflation that affects things as well. But at this time of year, we start seeing price increases through summer until new crop sweet potatoes in the fall.”
For more information
Alexandra Rae Molumby
Country Sweet Produce
Tel: +1 (661) 858-1075
[email protected]
www.bakosweet.com