Good Grief!

The Market Report is a weekly column written by Ken Klein of Klein’s Supermarket in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood. He writes the column for the Art Museum Area News and kindly allows me to post it here. The report is a fascinating look at the forces that drive the quality and price of our food.

Executive summary:

• Stick with red grapes next week.
• Cantaloupe and honeydew are outrageous.
• Lettuce is still pricey.

Read on for the entire report.

The Market Report, by Ken Klein
Klein’s Supermarket, 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia
Our Hours: M-F 8 AM to 8 PM; Sat. 8 AM to 8 PM; Sunday 9 AM to 1 PM

Greetings Food Lovers!

Produce Talk

• If you thought lettuce was going down in price, you are dreaming! In California, the field crews gave the shippers the bad news–yields are down 20-30% . The quality is fair, and the carton weights are light. Romaine is in better shape but not fantastic yet. Green leaf and red leaf lettuce are still very high. Boston lettuce is also not going anywhere soon.
• Cucumbers are steady, eggplant is still up there, and broccoli is down, with improved quality.
• Artichokes are slightly better in price, and supply is improving
• Asparagus from Washington is starting, and prices are high.
• Celery will be active next week; short supplies and high demand are causing a price spike for most sizes.
• Corn is a problem because Florida growers experienced a gap that caused the prices to go stupid. This problem does not appear to be a long-term deal.
• The onion market is hot right now. Red onions are up big time, and Spanish onions will soon follow. The old crop onions are the only reason that prices are not going way up on Spanish onions this week. As soon as old crop is done, expect to see a big increase. White onions are already up big time.
• Tomatoes continue to be a struggle for next week. Local product from the southern states is slowly trickling in, which is helping. Quality and color are still major issues, though both are looking better for next week.
• Cantaloupe and honeydew are outrageous. Shippers are asking sky high prices while there is limited supply available.
• Grapes are all over the board. It is the end of the season for Chile, and green grapes are switching to Pearletts and the corresponding big money. Red grapes are still your best bet for most of next week.

Have a fruitful week!