The medjool date company has reported 16.1 per cent growth year on year
Bard Valley Natural Delights recently hosted 15 customers from across North America and Australia for its annual harvest tour on 9-11 September in Yuma, Arizona. The event provided attendees with a hands-on experience of the Medjool date harvest, as well as an inside look at the brand’s farm-to-shelf process.
The tour kicked off with a private dinner prepared by local chef Alex Trujillo, who curated a menu featuring Medjool dates in every course, from cocktails and appetisers to dessert.
Participants then ventured into the date groves to experience harvesting first-hand, being lifted into the trees to witness the labour-intensive process up close.
According to Natural Delights, each Medjool date tree produces 200-250lbs (90.7 - 113.4kg) of fruit which is often surprising for first time visitors.
“This is always a favoruite moment for new attendees,” said Liam Slavin, Natural Deligths senior business development manager. “The personal, hands-on nature of harvesting Medjool dates leaves a lasting impression and truly demonstrates how much care goes into cultivating each tree.”
After the grove experience, attendees visited Natural Delights’ state-of-the-art sorting, grading, and packaging facilities, gaining insight into how dates make their way from the field to store shelves. The day concluded with a “Celebrando la Cosecha” dinner alongside the growers.
“The harvest tour was exceptionally well-organised, and I was especially impressed by the knowledge shared by the Bard Valley team throughout the tour,” said Michelle Newsome, commodity sales and sourcing manager at UNFI. “Being able to experience the harvest up close—seeing how dates are harvested, sorted, and packaged—highlighted the remarkable attention to detail that ensures the premium quality of Natural Delights.”
Natural Delights said this year’s weather has been ideal for volume, and it expects a strong crop with excellent fruit quality.
“This season’s conditions have set us up for success, and we’re pleased to have enough volume to meet growing consumer demand without facing any shortages,” Slavin said. “We’re particularly excited about the growth in organic dates over the past year, which aligns with our ongoing commitment to expanding our organic acreage. As more consumers seek out organic options, we’re proud to play a significant role in meeting that demand within the date category.”
The dried fruit category continues to grow, with dates leading the charge at 10 per cent growth year over year, according to Circana data (52 weeks ending 9/8/24). Natural Delights grew 16.1 per cent during that same period, which the company attributes to its marketing efforts and consumers’ increasing desire for higher quality dates.
