Specialty Citrus

Commodity Overview

A well-rounded specialty citrus category can attract shoppers who are looking for something different and willing to spend a bit more. Experiment with the wide variety of specialty citrus options to see what performs best in your department.

PLUs

4303 kumquats
4328 limequats
4459 Uniq/Ugli fruit
4308 loquats

Varieties

Calamondin

Finger Limes

Kumquats

Lavender Gem

Lemonquats

Limequats

Uniq/Ugli Fruit

Mandarinquats

Buddha's Hand

Yuzu

Kaffir Limes

Bergamot

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

Specialty citrus has a host of health benefits beyond the obvious vitamin C content. Vitamin C is an immune-system booster and a cancer-fighting antioxidant. Citrus also contains nutrients that can help fight cancer as well as promote healthy skin and protect the brain against age-related mental decline.

Sales Strategies

While citrus is often used as a snack, it does lend itself to cross-merchandising with items like salad mixes, juicers, peelers and zesters.
Some specialty citrus is available year-round. Keep consumers interested in citrus throughout the year.
Fall: Include specialty citrus in back-to-school promotions as a great way to get kids eating plenty of vitamin C.
Winter: Citrus goes hand-in-hand with the winter holidays. Promote it as a nutritious breakfast or brunch option and as a tangy addition to salads for the holiday table.
Spring: Appeal to consumers looking to get their bodies in shape for the summer by promoting specialty citrus as a new flavor for juicing.
Summer: On-the-go families are always looking for healthy, portable snacks. Promote citrus as the perfect traveling food that won’t melt or spoil in the car.

Dynamic Displays

It’s tempting to build taller citrus displays because the round fruit stacks well. However, those displays can end up rolling around the floor of your produce department if a consumer pulls the wrong piece. Keep stacks low to avoid slipping hazards.
Include plenty of signs to tell consumers about specialty citrus items. Post information about flavors and uses.
Consider offering a variety pack of specialty citrus to encourage consumers to try new things.
Include a wide variety of specialty citrus in your display. Giving consumers plenty of options helps them to vary their selections.
Take advantage of the plentiful supply of citrus during the winter when other fruits may not be as available. Promote citrus heavily during the winter season and create a large citrus display near the front of your department that includes several varieties of specialty citrus.

Food Service

Use citrus juice as a tenderizer for meat. The meat gets tender, and you get a unique flavor.
Offer citrus as part of a healthy breakfast bar.

In the Backroom

Grades
Florida
U.S. Fancy, Fancy No. 1, U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 2, U.S. No. 2 russet

Fruit grown elsewhere in the U.S.
U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 1 bronze, U.S. No. 2, U.S. No. 2 russet, U.S. No. 3

Handling
Temperature: 45 to 48 F, 7 to 9 C Relative humidity: 90-95% Mist: no Typical shelf life: 14 to 28 days Odor producer. Specialty citrus produces odors that will be absorbed by meat, eggs and dairy products.

Fresh King Inc

Overview (3) (0) (2)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Homestead, 33031 Florida

Citrus:

Limes

Tropical Fruit:

Avocados, Carambola, Coconuts, Mangoes, Papayas

Cooking Vegetables:

Herbs, Okra

Specialties:

Black Sapote, Boniato

Jirstrek Fruits Ltd

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Importer, Retailer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Saint-Laurent, H4N 1J1 Quebec

Citrus:

Lemons, Oranges

Deciduous Fruit:

Asian Pears, Figs, Pomegranates

Tropical Fruit:

Avocados, Mangoes, Papayas

Cooking Vegetables:

Asparagus, Garlic

Coosemans San Francisco Inc

Overview (4) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Exporter, Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

San Francisco, 94124 California

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples

Trans American Import

Overview (2) (0) (3)

Business Type:

Broker, Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Portland, 97220 Oregon

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Limes, Uniq/Ugli Fruit

Tropical Fruit:

Avocados

Cooking Vegetables:

Onions, Bulb, Onions, Sweet

Salad Vegetables:

Green Bell Peppers

Appleton Hall-Good Hope LTD

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Exporter, Grower, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Montego Bay,

Citrus:

Oranges, Uniq/Ugli Fruit

Tropical Fruit:

Papayas

Monco Produce Inc

Overview (3) (1) (0)

Business Type:

Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Toronto, M8Z 5X9 Ontario

Deciduous Fruit:

Pears

Tropical Fruit:

Coconuts, Kiwifruit, Mangoes

Cooking Vegetables:

Garlic, Bamboo Shoots

Specialties:

Bok Choy, Burdock, Chinese Navel Orange, Daikon

Poupart Ltd

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Broxbourne, EN10 6NH

Deciduous Fruit:

Grapes

Citrus:

Uniq/Ugli Fruit

Velleman & Tas International BV

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Rotterdam, 3002 AC

Citrus:

Grapefruit

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Asian Pears, Grapes, Pears

Stone Fruit:

Nectarines, Peaches, Plums

Tropical Fruit:

Kiwifruit, Pineapple

Internationale Fruchtimport Gesellschaft Weichert & Co

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Hamburg, D 20097

Tropical Fruit:

Avocados, Bananas, Papayas, Pineapple

Citrus:

Uniq/Ugli Fruit

Euroconte Exportacao e Importacao Ltda

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Exporter, Importer

Location HQ:

Sao Paulo, 04516-012

Deciduous Fruit:

Figs

Tropical Fruit:

Papayas

Specialties:

Ginger Root, Guava, Persimmons

Citrus:

Kumquats

Specialty Citrus