Peruvian Onions Bolster US Market
September 29, 2025 | 8 min to read
Peruvian onion production has climbed to 591,000 tons by 2025, enabling steady, year‑round U.S. supply of mild, sweet yellow, red, and white varieties that mirror Vidalia quality. Export values rose to $68 million in 2024 as growers and importers like G&R Farms, Bland Farms, and JJB Family Farms partner on on‑farm oversight, consistency, and marketing, while managing logistics, container availability, and tariff risks to meet strong consumer demand.

Production climbs, giving retailers access to steady, high-quality supply, and consumers the mild, sweet flavor they crave year-round.
Complementing the U.S. onion season, Peruvian imports are available between September and February each year, offering primarily yellow varieties, as well as smaller volumes of red and white onions. Making the most of this availability can reap dividends for U.S. grocery retailers who can take advantage of the products’ mild, sweet flavor and consistent quality.
According to the Peruvian export promotion organization PromPeru, onion production is booming in the Andean country. From 526,000 metric tons in 2022, production rose to 591,000 tons in 2025. By May 2025, volumes had already surpassed the levels reached in the same period of 2024.

PromPeru’s InfoTrade platform reports exports to the U.S. also increased, with the total worth of shipments up from $60 million in 2023 to $68 million in 2024. For Juan Francisco Ramos, PromPeru’s New York, NY-based international trade specialist, the U.S. remains an attractive prospect for Peruvian onion exporters despite the uncertainty created by the Trump administration’s tariffs.
“This situation can even become an opportunity, given that some competitors face higher tariff rates,” Ramos says. “Additionally, Peru’s counter-season production gives us an advantage over suppliers from the Northern Hemisphere.”
CONSISTENT QUALITY
Based in Glennville, GA, G&R Farms imports sweet onion varieties — primarily Century, Macon and Campo Lindo — from Peru to closely match the flavor, size and sweetness consumers expect from the company’s own Vidalia volumes, according to general manager and vice president of sales, Steven Shuman. Having launched its year-round sweet onion program in 2009, G&R has now been marketing Peruvian onions for over 15 years.
The company’s Peruvian season runs from around Labor Day through March, bridging the gap before and after the Georgia Vidalia season. G&R counts on its own full-time production team on the ground in Peru, which collaborates with growers to ensure consistent quality, flavor and sustainability.
“We have been building and nurturing this partnership for 15 years, have daily contact with the team on the ground there, and regularly visit the farms in Peru to ensure the best quality, yield and flavor,” says Shuman.
“Consumers overwhelmingly embrace Peruvian sweet onions for their mild, sweet flavor, long shelf life, and consistent quality, especially when domestic sweet onions are not in season,” he continues. “Demand remains steady and helps maintain year-round supply.”
“Consumers overwhelmingly embrace Peruvian sweet onions for their mild, sweet flavor, long shelf life, and consistent quality, especially when domestic sweet onions are not in season.”
— Steven Shuman, G&R Farms, Glennville, GA
Acreage in Peru, according to Shuman, has been relatively stable in recent seasons, with the 2023-24 season reporting acreage more or less steady, although volume experienced a dip due to weather.
Shuman says there is little sign of tariffs directly affecting Peruvian onions, noting weather impacts and logistics delays have taken precedence over trade policy.
Another grower-marketer based in Glennville, GA, is Bland Farms, a business which, as well as its Georgia acres, produces sweet onions over 660 hectares, or 1,630 acres, in Peru.
According to Chief Executive Troy Bland, the company’s premium sweet onions from Peru are grown from the same seed varieties as its Vidalia sweet onions, making the taste and quality nearly indistinguishable. “If you bite into a Peru onion and Vidalia onion, you can hardly tell the difference. They are the two sweetest onions that are produced in the world.”
“We’re one of the only premium sweet onion companies, if not the only one, to run our own crops in Peru,” Bland adds. “We grow our own, take care of our own and actually have our own employees that oversee the crops there.”
Although Bland Farms’ typically begins sourcing from Peru after Labor Day, the expected extended availability of Georgia Vidalias this season through late September will likely mean a later start to the Peru deal. Even so, Bland anticipates the Peruvian program will continue through February 2026, ensuring a year-round supply of sweet onions.
Bland says his team are hands-on year-round when it comes to making sure the Peruvian crop meet Bland Farms’ standards. “Unlike other growers who rely on contracts or constantly changing sources, we work the same land year after year. That consistency is rare, and it gives us unmatched control over quality,” he says.
One of the newest entrants to the Peru deal is Stockton, CA-located JJB Family Farms, which is launching a new, year-round organic sweet onion program in late September, starting in Peru. According to company president Derrell Kelso, JJB will bring in an initial 31 containers of Peruvian sweet onions, with the program expected to run until December.
Peru does a great job, says Kelso, adding that JJB’s entry into Peruvian sweet onion packing was sparked by a customer who was looking for high-quality sweet onions, and will benefit from access to “very good” products from Peru year-round.
STRONG PROSPECTS
Despite challenges that arise with any international operations, Bland says consistently optimal growing conditions remain a real positive when it comes to producing onions in Peru. “The region has one of the best climates, with little rainfall and plenty of sunshine.”
The company’s acreage in Peru may be slightly down this year — mainly due to the longer-than-usual Georgia Vidalia crop — but Bland believes a bigger challenge may come in the form of global container availability and positioning.

“With limited exports in and out of certain countries, including Peru, there’s concern that containers may not be readily available where and when we need them.”
“Peru doesn’t import as heavily, so outbound container supply can be more unpredictable — and more expensive,” Bland explains. “Higher container costs and tighter availability could present logistical hurdles, and we’re also keeping a close eye on tariffs, which continue to influence costs and sourcing decisions.
“We’re working proactively with our logistics partners to stay ahead of these issues and ensure a smooth transition and consistent supply for our customers.”
For Reidsville, GA-headquartered Shuman Farms, having a Peruvian sweet onion program plays a key role in delivering on its promise to provide “RealSweet” premium sweet onions year-round. “These onions meet our high standards for flavor, appearance, and consistency,” says President and Chief Executive John Shuman.
“Grown to reflect the same quality our consumers expect from the RealSweet brand, our Peruvian crop ensures we continue to provide a sweet, mild onion that’s approachable, versatile, and perfect for everything from quick weeknight meals to elevated culinary experiences.”
Shuman is pleased with how the upcoming season is shaping up, with favorable conditions pointing to a high-quality crop with consistent size, flavor and mildness. “We anticipate that this season will continue to build on the quality benchmarks we’ve set, giving consumers a sweet onion they can count on for everyday meals, holiday dishes, and everything in between.”
“We anticipate that this season will continue to build on the quality benchmarks we’ve set, giving consumers a sweet onion they can count on for everyday meals, holiday dishes, and everything in between.”
— John Shuman, Shuman Farms, Reidsville, GA
According to Shuman at G&R, Peruvian imports contribute significantly to annual U.S. sweet onion shipments, having increased from approximately 130,800 metric tons in 2018 to around 164 metric tons in 2022, with a value estimated at $67 million for 2022.
Through its Growing America’s Farmers program, G&R provides striking onion packaging, bins, and in-store point-of-sale, which are available to retailers year-round.
PromPeru, which participates in trade shows and specialty food trade missions, such as the Summer Fancy Food Show, has plans to continue promoting Peruvian onions during the remainder of 2025 through regional trade shows aimed at attracting U.S. importers.
This year, the organization will hold business matchmaking events at Expo Perú Sur in Arequipa and Expo Perú Los Andes in Cusco, where U.S. distributors and potential buyers have been invited to meet directly with Peruvian producers.
PROVIDING MEAL INSPIRATION
Ramos at PromPeru suggests U.S. retailers highlight the flavor of Peruvian onions as being ideal for barbecues. “We offer varieties that could be appealing to this market, along with competitive pricing.”
Shuman at G&R recommends cross-merchandising displays featuring Peruvian sweet onions with other fresh produce and meats to “provide meal inspiration and lift sales.” The company also leverages strong bagged and bulk promotions during key windows to trigger impulse purchases.
Shuman advocates incorporating omnichannel marketing, like in-store signage, digital, online meals-of-the-week, and out-of-home ads to help keep sweet onions top of mind. “Highlighting the quality, sweet flavor, and sustainability of G&R’s Peruvian program reinforces consumer trust and affinity year-round.”
Under its RealSweet brand, Shuman Farms provides “best-in-class packaging, category insights, and marketing programs,” says John Shuman. The company also sees a significant opportunity in consumer education, especially around the versatility of sweet onions.
“Our upcoming initiatives will highlight how one bag of RealSweet onions can become the foundation for multiple family-friendly meals,” says Shuman. “We’re also continuing to invest in digital storytelling and in-store messaging that meet shoppers where they are — online, on social, and in the produce aisle.”
Like many in the industry, Shuman Farms is navigating shifting consumer behaviors and rising input costs. “What helps us overcome these challenges is our unwavering focus on quality and brand integrity,” Shuman says. “We continue to invest in innovation, sustainability, and transparency, ensuring our products and our message remain relevant, trusted, and valuable to consumers and retailer partners alike.”
Similarly, Sloan Lott, director of sales at Bland Farms, says the company continues to see strong sales volumes on imported onions, driven by their consistent quality, signature sweetness, and reliable year-round supply.
“Consumer demand for sweet onions doesn’t slow down after Vidalia season—and thanks to our Peruvian program, we’re able to meet that demand without compromising on flavor.”
9 of 23 article in Produce Business September 2025