Dates

Commodity Overview

Fresh dates are appealing to shoppers looking for something different and for a gourmet touch to their meals and snacks. These consumers are often willing to pay a little bit more for the things they want, so they are worth catering to if you want to boost the bottom line.

PLUs

3045 fresh, on branch
3047 medjool
4263 regular

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

Fresh dates offer a variety of health benefits. They are a good source of potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. Dates contribute fiber to the diet, which can aid in digestion. Dates have been shown to help prevent abdominal cancer. They also contain vitamins and minerals that can help strengthen bones.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for dates: fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free and a good source of fiber.

Sales Strategies

Dates are most often used as an ingredient, which opens up a host of cross-merchandising opportunities, including baking items, bagged salads, seafood and poultry.
Dates are available year-round and can add dollars to the bottom line in any season.

- Fall: Include fresh dates in back-to-school promotions as they make a tasty treat for any lunch box.
- Winter: The winter holidays are the time consumers may associate with dates. Promote them heavily as part of holiday baking displays.
- Spring: Dates can be an integral part of springtime salads. Promote them as a way to add variety and flavor to green salads.
- Summer: Dates are a flavorful, easy-to-carry snack for on-the-go families during the summer. Encourage consumers to take dates with them on their summertime outings and vacations.
Fresh dates make a tasty and healthy snack. Offer consumers a chance to taste fresh dates and to learn how to pit a date by offering samples.

Dynamic Displays

Dates come in several varieties, and each variety has its own look and flavor. Provide plenty of information about each variety and use the different colors from yellow to dark brown to create an attractive display.
Avoid misting dates, but group them near salad or cooking vegetables. Include dried dates on your display as consumers may be more familiar with dried dates than they are with fresh ones. Group fresh dates and figs together.
Make sure consumers know that dates are a natural sweetener and can be used to add moisture to baked goods.
Increasing space for your date display will boost sales, according to the California Date Administrative Committee.

Food Service

Add dates to baked goods like cookies, muffins and breads.
Sprinkle chopped dates on salads for an interesting look and unique flavor.
Add chopped dates to yogurt breakfast bars.
Include dates in poultry stuffing and pasta salad.
Use dates in sauces or toppings for seafood dishes.
Dates can be used in any recipe that calls for raisins.

In the Backroom

Shipping
Shipping

Containers for dates vary. California shipments are measured by the California Date Administrative Committee.

Plastic containers other than bags must meet the following requirements:

Whole dates sold in plastic cups must have a net weight of 8 oz., 12 oz., 11⁄2 lbs. or 2 or more pounds.

Pitted dates sold in plastic cups must have net weight of 7 oz., 10 oz., 1 lb., 11⁄2 lbs. or more than 2 lbs., not sold limited by container weights.

The date industry produces a variety of products for use in baking and institutional foodservice.

RPC 6411, 6413

Handling

Temperature: semi-dry, 32 to 40 F, 0 to 4.4 C; soft, 0 to 32 F, -17.8 to 0 C

Relative humidity: 75-80%

Mist: none

Typical shelf life: one month at room temperature, six to eight months refrigerated and one year frozen in airtight containers.

Odor sensitive. Dates will absorb odors produced by other fruits and vegetables. Do not store near onions.

Medjools should be treated more like fresh produce rather than a dried fruit.

Moisture loss can be regained by pumping dates with warm water, fruit juice or liqueur.

Grades
Domestic whole and pitted (consumer grade)

U.S. Grade B

Deglet noor, halawy, khadrawy and zahidi dates

U.S. Grade C available in various forms (industrial grade)

Medjools are available in jumbos, mixed and confection grades.

Handling
Temperature: semi-dry, 32 to 40 F, 0 to 4.4 C; soft, 0 to 32 F, -17.8 to 0 C

Relative humidity: 75-80%

Mist: none

Typical shelf life: one month at room temperature, six to eight months refrigerated and one year frozen in airtight containers.

Odor sensitive. Dates will absorb odors produced by other fruits and vegetables. Do not store near onions.

Medjools should be treated more like fresh produce rather than a dried fruit.

Moisture loss can be regained by pumping dates with warm water, fruit juice or liqueur.

Equivalents

1 pound= 50 medium dates

Dates

Dates

Commodity Overview

PLUs

Facts

Sales Strategies

Dynamic Displays

Food Service

In the Backroom

Equivalents

Lovely Dates

Dominican Export Group

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