Lemons

Commodity Overview

Lemons are nearly universally popular, and that popularity continues to grow. Keep a variety of lemon sizes in stock to encourage sales as you promote them year-round.

PLUs

4033 small
4958 medium
4053 large

Varieties

Retail Price Data is based on USDA Specialty Crops Market News surveys. Data collection ends on the report date and encompasses ad pricing good from the Saturday before the report release date through the following Friday. Weekly data - from over 400 retailers, comprising more than 30,000 individual stores with online weekly advertised features - covers over 250 produce items. Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

USDA Specialty Crops Market News publishes FOB and Movement data on a daily and weekly basis. Pricing and volume information is aggregated by commodity and published weekly, subject to any source-data adjustments. Commodity data is further processed based on origin (domestic vs imports) and type (regular vs. organic). Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

Facts

Lemons offer a host of health benefits that have gained attention recently. They provide a hefty dose of vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help fight cancer and boost the immune system. The citric acid in lemons can help dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits and kidney stones. Lemons have antibacterial properties and can be used to get rid of odors and germs. The rutin found in lemons has been shown to improve eye health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for lemons: fat-free, saturated fat-free, very low sodium, cholesterol-free, low in calories, and high in vitamin C.

Sales Strategies

Lemons are either an ingredient or a garnish, so they have plenty of cross-merchandising opportunities, including fish, pie crusts, juicers, peelers and salad vegetables.
Lemons’ citrusy goodness is available year-round. Include them in lots of seasonal promotions.
Fall: Promote lemons as an important ingredient in salsa and guacamole for football game day parties.
Winter: Nothing says the holidays like pie. Include lemons in holiday promotions as an ingredient in lemon meringue pie and other baked goods.
Spring: Lemons are a natural garnish for drinks and salads. They also pair well with fish. Promote them in the springtime along with the seasonal catch in the seafood department.
Summer: Nothing says summer like lemonade. Make lemons the centerpiece of a lemonade stand promotion. Cross-merchandise them with juicers and sugar.
Promote the health benefits of adding lemon to a glass of water.

Dynamic Displays

Lemons can be displayed unrefrigerated if you sell a lot. If your supply does not turn over every day, keep them refrigerated.
Include different lemon sizes on your display. Consumers looking for lemons as an ingredient will want a different size lemon than those looking for a garnish.
Carry both bulk and bagged product to appeal to as many consumers as possible.
Use lemons’ bright yellow color to create an attractive display by placing them next to avocados or broccoli. Lemons paired with lettuce create an eye-catching display, as well.
Add some lemons to a display with tomatoes and avocados to remind consumers to use lemons in salsa and guacamole.

Food Service

While lemons are protected by their peel, wash them before cutting to avoid transferring bacteria on the skin to the inside.
Sprinkle lemon juice over dishes with sliced apples and bananas to keep the apples and bananas from turning brown.
Lemon juice can also be used to hold the white color of potatoes, cauliflower and turnips.
Substitute lemon juice for vinegar for a different flavor.
Add lemons to drinks and salads as a garnish.
Lemons work in a whole host of baked goods.
Use lemon zest to add some zing and garnish to an entrée.

In the Backroom

Shipping
42-lb. 4⁄5-bushel cartons 38-lb. cartons 36-lb. cartons/crates RPC 6416, 6419, 6420, 6423, 6425, 6426 Foodservice packs Lemons are available in foodservice packs containing 2-, 3- and 5-lb. cartons, as well as mini-pack cartons that average up to 9 lbs.

Grades
U.S. No. 1 U.S. Export No. 1 U.S. Combination U.S. No. 2

Handling
Temperature: 45 to 48 F, 7 to 9 C Relative humidity: 85-90% Mist: lightly Typical shelf life: several weeks if properly refrigerated Odor producer (Do not store or transport odor-sensitive items with commodities that produce odors.) Highly sensitive to freezing injury. (Likely to suffer injury by one light freezing.) Susceptible to chilling injury (Damage sometimes is not apparent until produce is returned to a higher temperature.) Shoppers can keep lemons at room temperature for several days. Lemons can also store for one to five months.

Equivalents

1 medium lemon = about 3 tablespoons juice 1 medium lemon = about 3 teaspoons grated peel 5 to 6 medium lemons = about 1 cup juice

MGI Produce a dba of Marc Glassman Inc

Overview (5) (0) (10)

Business Type:

Retailer

Location HQ:

Cleveland, 44130 Ohio

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Gold Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries, Red Currants, Kiwiberries

Delta Produce LLC

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Broker, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Lanham, 20706 Maryland

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Gold Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries, Red Currants, Kiwiberries

Cash-Wa Distribution

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Retailer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Kearney, 68845-7825 Nebraska

Citrus:

Lemons

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Grapes

Melons:

Watermelon

Salad Vegetables:

Lettuce, Tomatoes

Ventura Coastal LLC

Overview (4) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Ventura, 93001 California

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Oranges

Rochester Wholesale Fruit Inc

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Winona, 55987 Minnesota

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Pears

Stone Fruit:

Peaches

Tropical Fruit:

Bananas

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Onions, Bulb

Sun City Produce Co

Overview (10) (0) (11)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Pompano Beach, 33069 Florida

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Harvest Brokerage Inc

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Broker

Location HQ:

Forest Park, 30297 Georgia

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Gold Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries, Red Currants, Kiwiberries

Pearson Ranch LLC

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Broker, Grower, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Porterville, 93257 California

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Oranges

Poss Select Produce Inc

Overview (2) (0) (4)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Forest Park, 30297 Georgia

Citrus:

Lemons, Eureka/Lisbon Lemons, Meyer Lemons, Seedless Lemons, Pink Variegated Lemons

Melons:

Cantaloupe

Cooking Vegetables:

Potatoes, Purple Potatoes, Red Potatoes, White Potatoes

Quebec Distributing Co

Overview (4) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Broker, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Alameda, 94502 California

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Deciduous Fruit:

Grapes

Melons:

Cantaloupe, Honeydew

Lemons

Lemons

Commodity Overview

PLUs

Varieties

Facts

Sales Strategies

Dynamic Displays

Food Service

In the Backroom

Equivalents

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