Prime Time International is expecting a bountiful harvest of asparagus from northern Mexico’s Caborca growing region this spring. The Coachella, CA-based firm is a year-round supplier of both conventional and organic green asparagus, along with other key produce items.
“Our current production is coming up with really good supplies out of Caborca, Mexico. There are going to be ample supplies and great opportunities for promotions from late February through April,” Brian Miller, director of business development at Prime Time International told The Produce News. “The Caborca season started off with cold temperatures and light production, however, we’re coming into very good promotional volumes and some of the best quality and availability will be over the next eight to 10 weeks, for both conventional and organic asparagus.”
Miller noted that asparagus is a key driver of sales and a traffic builder for supermarkets.
“It is a big draw and a huge item for ads,” he said. “Historically, asparagus has been a great promotional item, and it continues to be a department driver.”
That is especially true during Easter week and Passover. “Easter is huge for asparagus. Historically Easter has been the biggest week and that continues,” Miller said.
Prime Time distributes throughout North America and is renown for offering consistent product with great quality and function. “Those are Prime Time’s core functions,” Miller said.
Asparagus is a relatively new field for Prime Time; the company entered into the asparagus category in 2017 by partnering with a reputable grower in Caborca. In one season, Prime Time established itself as a year-round asparagus shipper by complementing the production in Caborca with additional asparagus from other regions of Mexico, the United States and Peru.
Both Prime Time’s conventional and organic asparagus is 100 percent food safety and social accountability compliant by utilizing third party auditing and certification.
Prime Time asparagus is typically packed in 11- and 28-pound cartons, but is also available in other pack styles upon request. “We pack in an array of pack styles for the different markets and can provide value added pack styles for a number of different needs,” Miller said.
Prime Time asparagus loads in El Centro, CA, and Somis, CA.
In addition to asparagus, Prime Time is also known for its Bell peppers, mini peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans and watermelon.
Prime Time Bell peppers are field grown in the U.S. from May through November, beginning in the Coachella Valley. In early summer, production transitions to Bakersfield, CA, and eventually peaks in Oxnard mid-summer through late fall. During the winter and early spring, the peppers are grown and packed in carefully selected field and hothouse locations throughout Mainland and Baja Mexico, and shipped from company facilities in Nogales, AZ, and San Diego, while the mini peppers are grown domestically during the summer and fall, and harvested in Mexico in the winter and spring.
Sweet corn is grown in the Coachella Valley and available in traditional yellow, super sweet white and bi-color during the spring and fall seasons.
Prime Time’s vine-ripened Beefsteak and Roma tomatoes are grown in Mexico and available from November through January and from May through early July, while green beans raised in the Coachella Valley are available during the spring and again during the fall.
