Produce Alliance, LLC.

What's hot in 2025? Sweet AND spicy 🍓🔥🌶️ better known as "Swicy"! Thanks to Southeast Asian influence, this flavor combo is heating up the kitchen this year. Expect this trend to show up on restaurant menus in unforgettable, and deliciously craveable, ways: Charred fruit kebobs by the pool, your friend convincing you to drizzle hot honey on your pizza (just trust them), swicy jalapeño jam with your breakfast croissant, and spicy Tajín-rimmed margaritas on a Friday night... 💭🍕🍯🥐 These are just a few of the infinite ways you can get a taste of this sweet and spicy "trend" that has actually been making waves in the industry over the last few years!

Q2 Commodity Forecast: Onions 🧅🍽️📈 "The onion market is not expected to react much until the Northwest is entirely out of the picture. At this point, we do not anticipate that taking place until May. Even then, there may still be some leftover product floating around in that region. Texas onions are just getting going and they are expected to have a big crop. Additionally, Southern California will start in about 4 weeks, and they also are expected to have a lot of product. So, the first 2 months of Q2 (April/May) there is not presently a lot of optimism. However, June is a bit of a wildcard. At that point, Texas is done, the Northwest is done, Southern Cal will be mostly finished, and we will be exclusively into New Mexico and Central California at that time. It is basically a fresh start during that time period, so the market has as good of a chance of improving if it does stay stagnant." Want to stay up to date? Sign up to receive the market report to your email inbox every week on Thursday: https://hubs.la/Q03hqZhV0

Produce Alliance is proud to highlight our incredible employees each month. Today, we want to shine the spotlight on Timothy Botsford, Executive Account Manager based out of Chicago, IL. Tim enjoys building meaningful and genuine relationships, internally and externally. He loves being his clients’ go-to person, whether it’s helping them work through a quality issue or providing a pricing solution. Outside of work, he is a huge Chicago sports fan and has been to at least ONE Bears game every season for the last 15 years! Bear Down! Tim, your commitment to building strong relationships with clients is a major reason why Produce Alliance continues to grow and we are so grateful to have you on the team!

We made it to Friday! Today we are taking a colossal look at the juiciest fruit nature has to offer: Watermelon! 🍉 Did you know? From the outer rind to the inner seeds, the entire watermelon is edible! Many cultures will pickle the rind or add it to stir fry, and the seeds (much like a pumpkin), can be roasted and enjoyed on salads or by themselves!

Market Report 4.10.2025 President Trump has officially confirmed that tariffs under the USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement) will not be implemented on fresh produce from Canada and Mexico. As such, shipments from these two countries will remain unaffected. However, a 10% tariff will apply to fresh produce imported from other countries, potentially impacting pricing and availability for products sourced outside of Canada and Mexico. With that, we will continue to see strong production out of South Florida on several items, with good quality and availability across multiple commodities with similar conditions being observed in Nogales and McAllen. Stable volume seen across the entire Tomato category as Florida breaks new fields and Mexico starts new regions in Sonora and Baja. Quality is outstanding in all markets. Items lighter in supply are Yellow Squash, premium sized Green Bells, Pickles, Shishitos, Habanero, and Caribe Peppers. We will start to see of our first transitions of the season in the west on mixed vegetables; growers will begin harvesting a few Peppers, Corn and Beans picked out of Coachella over the week. Transition is still in full swing, and we have growers in Huron, Oxnard, and Salinas. Some are still in Yuma, but the majority have already made the move to Salinas. The growers that are not currently in Salinas will be making the move next week. It is always a hectic time, but the growers are doing everything they can to ensure a smooth transition. We are still seeing very warm weather in Yuma and the hot weather has put some stress on the products. While Lettuce has been pretty steady, we will see tighter supplies and lighter weights in some markets with the last group of growers coming up on their transitions. Spinach is the item that has been the most affected by the heat, but the damage seems to be minimal. We have had a smooth transition so far and will be hopeful that the next few weeks keep that trend going!

🌱🐇 Spring Trends 🌷🐣 Microgreens are springing into popularity this season! You might already be familiar with common microgreens like cilantro and parsley. 🌿 A few others that are showing up in a major way this season are radish, arugula, basil, broccoli, mustard, beet and sunflower microgreen varieties. Why microgreens? These small garnishes make a huge difference in the presentation of a dish by elevating the visual impact. Harvested before the plant fully matures, microgreens offer a more intense and concentrated taste. Chefs then utilize these flavor profiles to complement and elevate their culinary creations! How do you prefer your microgreens, on avocado toast or a quinoa bowl? 🥑🍳

Today is National Acai Day! Celebrate BIG with a bowl of fresh, fruity goodness from Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Their Acai Bowl is made with a delicious acai base, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, banana, coconut, granola, chia seeds and finished with a honey drizzle on top. Paradise in a bowl, no flight necessary! 🍓🫐🍌🥥🍯

Produce Alliance is thrilled to announce that our very own Ben Unger has been recognized by Firebirds Wood Fired Grill as their 2024 Vendor of the Year! This recognition is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and the strong relationships he’s built. Ben’s commitment to delivering exceptional service and going above and beyond has truly made an impact. Please join us in celebrating this well-deserved achievement—way to go, Ben!

President Trump has now confirmed that tariffs under the USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement), including produce, “WILL NOT” be implemented as Fresh Produce from Canada and Mexico will not be affected. With that, we will continue to see strong production out of South Florida on several items, with good quality and availability across multiple commodities with similar conditions being observed in Nogales and McAllen. Avocado harvest volumes have dropped significantly this week as many importers are choosing to avoid heavy border crossings on Wednesday and Thursday due to ongoing tariff concerns. The previous round of tariffs—imposed for just three days—resulted in a 25% cost to importers, with no refunds issued, adding to the current caution. With continued uncertainty around the timing and implementation of tariffs, crossings remained light, and the supply chain is expected to tighten rapidly. On a positive note, California has entered full production this week, with favorable weather and market conditions supporting steady harvests. Mexico’s asparagus season is approaching its end, leading to a notable tightening in supply. Hot weather and soil fatigue are contributing factors to both limited availability and an increase in quality-related concerns. Transition is always a hectic time, but the growers are doing everything they can to ensure a smooth transition. We had a heat advisory in effect last week for Yuma and the hot weather did put some stress on the products. Overall, for now, supplies are looking good in Yuma and Salinas, but with transition in full swing, we will also see the normal issues with supplies and quality as we go through this process. Lettuce is already seeing tighter supplies and lighter weights in some markets but overall, things are steady, and the majority of growers seem to be in good shape. Bugs are still a factor for the growers in Yuma, but they are doing a great job navigating the increased insect pressure. Growers, again, will do their best to prevent any supply gaps and will try to get the best quality, but some issues should be expected in the coming weeks.

Market Alert: Asparagus 4.2.2025 Mexico's season is nearing its end, and as a result, supplies have tightened significantly. Hot weather and soil fatigue contribute to limited availability and a rise in quality-related issues. Meanwhile, Peruvian production is gradually ramping up, though current volumes remain constrained. Full production capacity from Peru is expected by the end of April, which should bring some relief to the market. However, due to the timing of the transition, tight supply conditions may continue until Peru reaches full production. We may encounter pro rates during this timeframe, but currently, shippers will continue to supply distributor averages. Our grower partners are working diligently to maintain service levels, but supply availability will continue to decline until the end of April. We strongly encourage flexibility in loading dates and order adjustments as we navigate these challenges. Thank you for your continued partnership and understanding. We will keep you updated on any further market developments.