Vandenberg optimistic for summer citrus season

New York-based importer Jac Vandenberg revealed that it was gearing up for a busy summer citrus season, as the end of the Moroccan campaign signalled the close of the winter season.

The last Moroccan Nadorcotts had been shipped and sold, the company said, but the first easy peelers from Peru and Uruguay had already arrived and volumes were expected to gradually pick up in the coming weeks as Chilean and South African fruit became available.

“We have a fantastic portfolio of citrus products which include mandarins, oranges, Cara Caras, lemons, grapefruits and tangelos,” said brand manager John Paap. “We make it easy for our customers to fulfil all their summer citrus needs with a one-stop shop.”

The company said logistical challenges were expected to continue, but the high quality of the fruit was boosting optimism in the category.

This summer, Vandenberg is set to offer organic lemons from Argentina, which recently gained access to the US, with the first arrivals expected in July.

“Organics continue to grow in demand and the fact that we can now offer one of the world’s best lemons in organic format is very exciting,” said Paap.

In addition, the company’s award-winning bio netting packs are reportedly attracting strong demand and support from retailers and consumers alike.

“We are encouraged to see retailers and consumers gravitating towards this particular package. We know how amazing this netting is for closing the regenerative loop and it’s exciting to see others feel the same way,” says Paap.

The netting, made from 100 per cent beechwood tree fibres, is fully home-compostable and produced with a significantly lower environmental impact versus its plastic counterpart, Paap said.

“This summer, we are introducing new artwork for our tags used on the bio netting,” he said. “The new artwork does a fabulous job calling out the unique elements of the pack. Consumers will know straight away and without question this netting is made from tree fibres and home-compostable.”

The bio netting pack is apparently available for Bagu branded oranges and lemons, as well as with Sunrays branded mandarins.

Through its Sunrays brand, Vandenberg will be supporting Save the Children’s 100 Days of Reading campaign for a second consecutive year.

“From 1 June until 8 September, every link that is clicked or QR code that is scanned by Save the Children supporters will help unlock donations of books, educational materials and healthy food for kids living in some of America’s most impoverished, rural communities,” the company revealed. “Children living in rural poverty face significant, persistent and unique challenges such as hunger, low education outcomes and lack of access to opportunity. Every day, Save the Children works to ensure these children have a healthy, strong foundation to thrive as learners and in life.”

“As a family company that understands first-hand the impact of nurturing future generations, we are proud to support Save the Children’s 100 Days of Reading campaign,” explained Paap. “To promote this campaign, we will be featuring a QR code on our Sunrays mandarin packages all summer long that will direct consumers to the campaign’s landing page that features terrific content for children and adults alike.”