Awe Sum Organics BB #:157008 will be attending the Organic Produce Summit in Monterey, CA, as they have done every year since the inception.
“We missed OPS last year, as it was cancelled due to COVID. We are excited for this year’s show because this year’s OPS will be Awe Sum’s first public event or trade show since before COVID. It will be wonderful to see all our friends and colleges in the organic produce trade again, OPS is our favorite show because it is 100% focused on organic produce, just like Awe Sum Organics is and has been since our inception over 36 years ago. And we love it because we are so passionate about what we do, organic farming, getting the fruits of our labor to our customers and to consumers across the country, sustainability, awe sum tasting organic fruit, and the organic food movement,” said David Posner, President, CEO, and Founder of Awe Sum Organics of Santa Cruz, CA.
“I started the company in 1985 with the vision to help create a year-round supply of a wide range of organic produce so that retail shelves and consumers could have healthy, nutrient packed, high quality, beautiful, and awe sum tasting, authentic organically grown produce options year-round. We began with a group of organic growers in California and then went south of the border to develop organic farms and growers to produce organic crops that could not be grown domestically, such as tropical fruits, and items for winter months such as melons, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and peppers. Then, we evolved into growing and importing organic fruit from the southern hemisphere to complement the domestic supply in the off season and keep the shelves full of fresh organic fruit year-round. I have always enjoyed helping our growers to learn how to grow their fruit organically and have supported them with constantly evolving cutting edge organic growing methods. That part of the work really excites me and is my true passion!”
Awe Sum Organics has evolved over the years to specialize in seven organic commodities: grapes, kiwi, apples, pears, blueberries, citrus, and avocados.
Over fifteen years ago, Awe Sum Organics started working to develop a method to grow grapes organically where there is no natural dormancy, or very limited dormancy, so that we could supply organic table grapes in the US during the winter months. Over ten years ago we perfected and patented our method.
Today we have good volumes, high quality, and are by far the largest supplier of organic table grapes for the US during the winter months. Our Peruvian Organic Table Grape growers use our patented method for improving budbreak in table grapes that is organically approved by the USDA, NOP, and OMRI.
And, our growers also use our cutting-edge Organic fertilization, and pest/disease control program for organic table grapes. We are showcasing this project in the Organic Innovations Showcase at OPS. Our Organic Peruvian Grape season from Peru runs from December through March with consistent supply of both Red and Green Seedless (all IFG varieties, mainly Sweet Celebration and Sweet Globe), and with a smaller program of Red Globe for value oriented organic shoppers.
Again, this winter, Awe Sum Organics will provide the main supply of high-quality organic table grapes across the US and Canada, with our first arrivals hitting both coasts just after California finishes their organic grapes in December. We pack our Awe Sum Organic Peruvian Red and Green Seedless into two consumer packs: catch weight pouch bags that average around a pound and a half, and fixed weight one-pound clamshells with UPC.
Most of our Peruvian Organic Grapes are Certified by Fair Trade USA because we believe in sustainability, fair wages, good working conditions, and giving back to the communities where our organic fruit is grown and packed. This part of our business is so gratifying for us because so far, over the years, we have contributed over $700,000 to the small community in Peru where our largest organic grape farm and pack-house is located through the Fair Trade USA (and before that Fair For Life) Social Premiums that we have collected from the sale of our Organic Peruvian Grapes.
These contributions have funded roads, a church, infrastructure such as running water and electricity, and the building of a preschool, an elementary school, and a high school, school programs, day care programs for working families, school supplies and equipment including computers and vocational education.
Our organic kiwi program is very strong. Kiwi is a true superfood. It is very high in vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, many vitamins and minerals, and fiber. We have a year-round supply of organic kiwi. We have Green kiwi 52 weeks per year, and Gold kiwi for 9 out of the year. We also have limited volumes of super sweet organic Red kiwi during the winter.
All our organic kiwi is harvested when the dry matter is high enough to ensure sweet, awe sum tasting kiwi. Our Organic Italian Green, Gold, and Red kiwi that we bring in for our customers during fall, winter, and spring will be certified by Fair Trade USA for the first time this season. We pack bulk, clamshells and bags.
Our organic pears are from one of the first, and best organic pear growers in the Rio Negro Valley of Argentina. We have seven varieties in total, that all arrive fresh when organic domestic varieties are out of season. These organic pears have been Fair Trade Certified for many years and so far, over the years, we have collected and contributed over $400,000 to the community through our sales of this Fair Trade certified fruit. We pack bulk and 2lb pouch bags.
Our organic apples from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand are also Fair Trade certified. We have five varieties and pack in bulk and bags.
We have a full supply of Awe Sum Organic blueberries from our growers in South America for the fall and winter months when domestic field production is over for the season. Blueberries are also a superfood according to the Mayo Clinic. They are very high in antioxidants, vitamins C and K, manganese, and fiber. And they are so delicious and easy to eat.
We have year-round organic citrus from California with orchards in all three California citrus districts. We have year-round Lemons and Oranges and pack bulk and bags.
And soon, we will be introducing our Awe Sum Organic avocados grown high in the mountains of Colombia. They will be available year-round and are grown with 100% natural irrigation from rainfall. We are careful to always harvest our organic avocados with a high oil content that gives them an awe sum rich and nutty flavor. These also will be Fair Trade certified and packed in bulk and bags.
We are so grateful, and it is so rewarding, to realize that what we started on our mission so long ago, pioneering the organic produce movement over the last 36 years, has evolved into such a large and important part of the overall produce trade. Many studies have shown that many consumers prefer organically grown produce, especially younger shoppers, who are leading the charge with some the highest sales percentages, by age group, of organic food loyalty, because they recognize the many benefits of organic produce.
These benefits range from personal health, great flavor and nutrition, environmental health, the health and safety of the farmers and workers, to the overall sustainability of organic farming. Many consumers appreciate and recognize organic farmers as good stewards of the land who are helping to keep the soil, environment, and global ecology healthy and alive. And now organic produce has continued to become more and more popular, especially now in the COVID environment.
We started growing organically because we believe it is best for the health of the soil, the ecosystem, is the most sustainable way to grow food, and that growing organically creates healthy, nutrient rich, live, and flavorful food that is healthy for the environment for everyone who grows and eats it.
Organic produce is more popular than ever, with impressive increases in sales dollars and volume year over year every year and is even more popular now since COVID. In the comprehensive report, State of Organic Produce 2020, released by Organic Produce Network on February 11th, 2021, sales of organic produce in dollars were up in 2020 year over year from 2019 by 14.2% to a total of over $8.5 Billion dollars, and up by 16% in total volume, compared to that of conventional produce during the same period, which was up 10.7% in total sales dollars and 9% in total volume.
And, per statistics released by Organic Produce Network, and Category Partners on April 13, 2021, during the First Quarter of 2021, year over year compared to the First Quarter of 2020, total Organic Produce volume was up overall by 5.7%, while conventional sales decreased by .6%. And, over the same period, total organic produce total sales in dollars increased 9.3%, while total conventional produce sales in dollars increased by 2.9%. Also, for reference, total organic food sales over the last 10 years, have increased by 124.6% to a total of nearly $62 Billion in 2020, according to information contained in a press release from the Organic Trade Association on May 25th, 2021.
