Thanksgiving vegetable lineup to feature higher prices in 2024

Prolonged summer heat in the West has stunted early winter vegetable production, resulting in higher FOB prices on many of the key produce items that typically grace the Thanksgiving table.

Braga Fresh Senior Sales Manager Ray Ortega told OPN Connect on Monday, Nov. 11, that the first plantings for winter production in the desert regions have been adversely affected by the late summer heat, which produced temperatures topping 100 degrees for days on end.  He said that the entire organic vegetable lineup is coming along more slowly than expected and creating shortages for the heavy Thanksgiving demand Thanksgiving.

Ortega reported that some lettuce fields going to seed and, with regard to the entire sales sheet, Soledad-California-based Braga Fresh is facing low supplies, high demand and higher prices than usual. “Celery is one of the hot items for Thanksgiving and it’s in short supply,” he said. “Here at Braga Fresh we are in good shape with our organic celery, but we are seeing very heavy demand and a very high market.”

Although last year’s vegetable market boasted plentiful supplies for Thanksgiving 2023, the veteran salesman confirmed that this won’t be the case this season. In fact, Ortega does not expect normal supplies to surface until a week or two into December, which will hopefully coincide with the heavy Christmas holiday demand. He believes this year’s winter organic vegetable deal will more closely resemble 2021/22, when supplies were short. However, Ortega did make sure to mention that Mother Nature will have the final say and he won’t be able to make a more definitive assessment until mid-December.

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Michael Boskovich of Boskovich Farms in Oxnard, California, agreed that prices on many organic vegetables are “firming up” as Thanksgiving orders start to come in and demand increases. Speaking during the first week of November, he said currently there were no issues on celery, but the market will soon reflect the increasing holiday demand. “In a week or two, the Thanksgiving pull will start and markets are going to tighten up quickly,” he said.

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But Boskovich also said there might be a few organic items in which supply and demand should be in sync and as such the FOB prices could lead to ad promotions. In this category, he listed bunched beets, radishes, broccoli and carrots. “We are seeing good supplies of these items,” he said.

Through The Nunes Company’s regular “Market Report” from November 6, Salesman Gabe Romero also rung the warning bell about high Thanksgiving prices on organic vegetables. “Transition is upon us as most commodities will be moved to Yuma during the next 7-10 days. Strong demand to follow with Thanksgiving pull, resulting in limited availability and strong FOB pricing the next 7-14 days.” 

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Romero went through the company’s sales list and noted some of the organic items that will be hit harder than others. Iceberg lettuce is in moderate supply, but he noted that romaine/romaine hearts would be “extremely limited for the next two weeks with very high FOB pricing.”

Leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower will have moderate supplies with Romero noting that The Nunes Company could be the place to turn for organic celery. “We can help if needed during the next two weeks,” he noted.

'Sweet' growth in organic demand

Bako sweet potatoes in the field.

One Thanksgiving favorite that is in good supply and might be the best bargain for that traditional Thursday feast is organic sweet potatoes. In this regard, Bako Sweet Executive Vice President Matt McCort reported: “With the anticipated increase in demand during the already busy holiday season, there should be ample organic product to meet consumer needs.”  

He relayed that the organic FOBs on sweet potatoes remain slightly above flat year-over-year, with moderate increases for some pack styles and varieties aligned with inflation. “As primary organic growers who have navigated multiple years of inflationary pressures, we recognize that demand and pricing may not increase in a straightforward way, especially as consumers face grocery affordability challenges,” McCort said. “At Bako Sweet, we’re excited to support the growth in organic demand while respecting realistic FOB thresholds, knowing that crossing these limits could negatively impact consumption.”

Related:Retailers discuss challenges, opportunities in organic produce

Bako merchandising examples.

The Bakersfield, California company’s Director of Sales, Susan Noritake, said the holiday season is the peak time for sweet potato consumption and she urged retailers to capitalize on this demand. “Merchandising sweet potatoes beyond the traditional bulk bin has proven effective for boosting sales, so we recommend dedicating shelf space to value-added packs like our 3lb. mesh bags, ideal for casseroles and family-sized sweet potato dishes,” she said. “We also suggest using display bins throughout the store, positioned near other non-perishable holiday ingredients or alongside the turkey refrigeration case, to increase visibility and convenience.”

Matt McCort took the opportunity to tout the growing demand for organic sweet potatoes and the dynamics behind that growth. “Organic demand is on the rise once again as conventional prices approach a temporary parity,” he said. “Value-added and convenience products continue to drive new demand, with retailers aiming to meet the needs of today's busy shoppers. ‘Organic’ is also emerging as a key demand driver, potentially standing shoulder-to-shoulder with these trends.”