Medjool Date Harvest Gets Ready for Promising Year in Stores
What was your best date? If you answered Medjool, then you know your dates. Medjool dates are just one of hundreds of varieties of dates, according to WebMD, but they’re the only one known as “the fruit of kings.” With a sweet, caramel taste and chewy texture, Medjool dates were originally eaten by royalty and thought to fend off fatigue. Native to Morocco, they are now grown in warm climates globally, including in the United States, which has already started its harvest season.
Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI) data shows a promising year for the category. According to IRI data pulled on June 27, the total Medjool date category is up 5.7% year over year. Some key insights from this data also show that fixed-weight packaged products are up 7.5% year over year, a trend that has accelerated with rising concerns about bulk products during COVID.
Medjool date grower Natural Delights is currently in the middle of its harvest season, which will last through September. The company is expecting excellent crop quality and yields this season. Its dates are grown in Bard Valley, which sits along the Colorado River at the intersection of Arizona, California and Mexico — where a very specific set of growing conditions are met. According to the company, its Medjool date growth is up 6.4%. Natural Delights expects to maintain this growth, as it believes shoppers will continue to prefer more packaged products in the 2021-22 year.
“We are committed to driving the Medjool date category forward through strategic sales and marketing efforts, and this data is a testament to that,” said David Baxter, director of marketing for Bard, Calif.-based Natural Delights. “In a year that could have been detrimental to the category because of COVID, we’ve seen our marketing efforts not only drive dollar growth, but also significant consumer engagement on all of our online platforms.”
Additionally, organic product growth is up a staggering 14.5%, while Bard Valley Natural Delights organic product growth is up 15%. The company continues to invest in organic products by converting many of its groves to USDA Certified Organic and broadening product lines to include both conventional and organic varieties.
“We’ve been meeting the needs of organic shoppers for several years now, so this data is encouraging as we continue to expand our product lines to include organic options,” added Baxter.
Interesting fruit varieties, like Medjool dates, in convenient packaging can help grocers enhance their seasonal fruit offerings.
As part of the Natural Delights’ commitment to educating and engaging with shoppers about where their Medjool dates come from and what it takes to grow the product, resources like new harvest videos and a Raised on Sunshine Sweepstakes in September will give people an inside look at how the company's Medjool dates go from groves to grocery stores.
