Firstly everyone at Rowlands would like to wish you all a ‘Happy New Year’, hoping it will be a prosperous one for us all.
As supplies of produce start to get rolling again after the Christmas break January is certainly regarded as a quieter trading month. As always it will be weather dependent – if we suffer a harsh January prices and produce can alter drastically.
FRUIT
Citrus seems to be the highlight. Italian blood oranges and the first of the sevilles are with us. Quality navel oranges and superb clementines are highly recommended. English apples are still eating well, out of cold store coxs and bramleys being the pick! South African stone fruit continues to be excellent with pomegranates still looking good too however the English quince season is finishing.
Something to look forward to is the early forced Yorkshire rhubarb, which we will see towards the end of the month. Spanish strawberries are now available; traditionally prices should ease as the month goes on. All other berries are of good quality but prices are expected to remain firm.
VEGETABLES
Brassicas are still strong – purple sprouting, cabbages, kales, sprouts, cavelo nero and romanesco all should be good. Bunched carrots, carrots and chantenay including multi coloured varieties remain excellent. Other root vegetables – parsnips, swede, celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes are still plentiful and top quality. There is a wide range of mushrooms available as well as the standard cups and buttons, try portabello, chestnuts, flats and mixed cultivated pro mix as an alternative. Wild mushrooms are about however please enquire about lead times and availability.
Potato prices remain high due to low yields and will continue that way as stocks start to dwindle as the month goes on. South African baby vegetables have started to come through again after the Christmas break. Lovely baby carrots, rainbow carrots, fennel, leeks and courgettes are a must!
SALAD
Prices remain firm at the moment whilst Spain and Morocco are the main providers. We are not however witnessing the highest prices of previous years when cold and wet weather hit the Spainsh mainland. Good varieties of lettuce – little gem, cos, iceberg, lolla rosso, oakleaf and curly endive are of good quality. Tomatoes too are coming through fine – lovely vine, cherry vine and plum varieties are excellent. Mixed bagged leaves are predominantly Spanish or Italian now but are of top quality.
LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE
* Cox apples * Bramley apples * Baby beetroots (red, golden & candy) * Cavelo cabbage * Kale * Savoy * Heritage beetroots * Parsley * Coriander * Red cabbage * Swiss chard *
Contact our sales office to place your orders or for any other enquiries on:
01743 46 22 44 (Option 1)
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rowlandsandco/
