Six Opportunities To Sell More Organic Peppers

Organic displays should look as inviting and abundant as conventional ones.

Bell peppers and chile peppers are everyday foods that have had a place at mankind’s table for centuries. Native to the Americas, Spanish explorers in the 15th century carried these Capsicum family members across the pond, with cultivation eventually spreading worldwide.

Most recently, consumer demand for both types of peppers — sweet bells and heat-packed chiles — has boomed. Last year, Americans ate nearly 11 pounds of bell peppers and 8 pounds of chile peppers, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data.

Organic bell pepper dollars grew to $200 million in 2024, ranking these fruits as the 17th top organic fruit and vegetable category, based on the State of Organic Produce Report 2024, presented by the Organic Produce Network, in Monterey, CA. These sales represented a 4.4% year-over-year increase. And with price premiums for organic bell peppers remaining steady at 55.2%, it underscores continued consumer demand.

“We continue to see steady growth in demand for organic bell peppers,” says Ray Mastronardi, vice president of sales at Del Fresco Pure, a greenhouse grower located in Kingsville, Ontario. “Consumers are increasingly looking for produce that aligns with their health, wellness, and sustainability values, and organics deliver on that.

“For retailers, the opportunity lies in positioning organic bell peppers not just as a premium product, but as an everyday staple that supports a healthy lifestyle.”

1. SEARCH FOR YEAR-ROUND AVAILABILITY

Late summer and early fall supplies of peppers can be difficult.

“It’s a shoulder season for supply and can be challenging in both availability and quality,” says Kristina Federico-Luna, sales manager at Wholesum Family Farms Inc., in Amado, AZ. “Bell peppers require a growing medium and expertise that is not found everywhere, so building a strong supplier base is challenging. Winter supplies have better growing regions and should be strong. That’s why redundancy in supply is key to successful program planning.”

The greenhouse program at Del Fresco Pure enables the company to offer consistent organic bell peppers throughout the fall and winter, says Mastronardi. That said, he admits organic production can be more sensitive to weather and pest pressures, making it more challenging to maintain volumes at peak demand times.

“While we work hard to minimize gaps, there can be periods where supply is tighter. On the flip side, retailers can take advantage of windows where supply is more abundant, particularly ahead of holiday demand when shoppers are cooking and entertaining more.”

Divine Flavor, a Nogales, AZ-headquartered grower-owned distributor of grapes, tomatoes and bell peppers, anticipates closing its June-to-October gap in supply for organic bell peppers by 2026.

“We are working now with grower partners in the central Bajio region of Mexico. Combined with our West Coast production in Jalisco and Sinaloa, we will have consistent year-round options for retailers,” says Alan Aguirre, head of the marketing department.

Mexico is the primary source of organic bell pepper imports to the U.S. In 2024, the share of total monthly import value for fresh organic bell peppers ranged between 7% and 11%, according to the USDA ERS Vegetable and Pulses Outlook: April 2025 report.

2. RING MORE BELLS WITH COLOR

Most bell peppers, conventional and organic, sold at retail are green, which Jason Kazmirski, retail specialist for Charlie’s Produce in Seattle, WA, sees playing out in their region. “Green and red bell peppers are our most popular colors in organic.”

Charlie’s Produce supplies retailers in the Pacific Northwest, such as Metropolitan Market, Fred Meyer and Sprouts.

But consumer demands are increasing for all colors of organic bell peppers, including green, red and yellow, says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa’s World Variety Produce, Vernon, CA. “We are also starting to see demand for the less popular orange as well. The newer mixed package (red, yellow, and orange) is gaining some momentum over the last few years.”

In addition to color, Marc Goldman, produce director, Morton Williams Supermarkets, a 17-store chain headquartered in Bronx, NY, and a subsidiary of the Wakefern Food Corp, offers customers a choice of sizes. “We carry the mini sweet peppers in organic, as well as organic bells.”

Mini sweet peppers are a distinct cultivar known for greater sweetness and crispiness than bell peppers, while a baby bell pepper is a miniature version of a traditional bell pepper.

Divine Flavor is currently testing growing organic baby bell peppers.

3. DIFFERENTIATE WITH ORGANIC CHILES

The market for organic chile peppers is smaller than that for bells, say growers. One reason is that some customers find it difficult to justify the increased cost for something used in often small amounts. However, there is interest in certain varieties of organic chiles, making these the ones to introduce first at retail. “Organic jalapeños are overall best-sellers,” says Kazmirski.

Schueller says two major varieties represent 80% of total organic chile pepper sales. “That is jalapeño for Hispanic, and shishito for Japanese or Asian. We sell both in 8-ounce tote bags. There are not many growers of organic hot peppers.”

Demand is different when selling organic jalapeños and organic shishitos, says Courtney Boyer, supply chain manager for Duncan Family Farms, Goodyear, AZ. “As more retailers transition SKUs from conventional to organic, there could be a boost in demand. Shishitos are still relatively new to the retail space, so demand is increasing based on consumers’ exposure to the item.”

4. GET THE RIGHT RING

Bulk outpaces sales of packaged peppers overall. Yet, the best ring-through on organic bells and chile peppers, according to Melissa’s Schueller, “will always be packaged. Packaging also offers an easier way to stack a neat display.”

“A two-count is the most popular organic green bell pepper pack style,” says J.C. Myers, vice president of sales and marketing for SunFed, in Rio Rico, AZ.

At Del Fresco Pure, the most popular colored pepper pack style is the multi-count bag, says Mastronardi. “Bulk displays remain important for organics, but packaging helps build shopper trust by ensuring consistent quality and food safety. The opportunity is in offering a mix of both, depending on the retailer and region.”

Duncan Family Farms packs its chile peppers in a perforated, resealable bag or clamshell.

5. SEE IT TO SELL IT

The biggest challenge is ensuring peppers are displayed in a way that highlights their vibrancy and freshness, says Mastronardi. “Organic peppers need to look just as inviting and abundant as conventional peppers. Opportunities include incorporating color breaks into the display to highlight variety, utilizing signage to highlight organic certification, and cross-promoting with other organic produce to inspire meals. Clean, well-stocked displays make a huge difference in consumer confidence.”

Merchandising has a significant impact on consumer choices for chile peppers.

“If you look at a lot of the peppers, they are on a middle or low shelf in the refrigerated section or on an endcap tucked away from the main aisles of produce,” says Boyer. “If they were brought front and center, or staged as part of a recipe with other ingredients needed, folks may be more likely to purchase.”

6. PROMOTE WAYS TO USE

Bell and chile peppers need to be promoted as ingredients to increase sales, recommends Boyer. This includes call-outs to their flavor profiles and/or nutritional benefits.

In the U.S., the most common uses for bell peppers include adding them raw or cooked to salads and sandwiches, incorporating them into stir-fries and fajitas, using them as pizza toppings, and stuffing them with rice and meat for a main dish. But bells are versatile, and suggesting new uses can encourage customers to buy more.

“A few of the culinary trends now are substituting red bell peppers for tomatoes to make a creamed soup and using bell peppers in cold pasta salads,” says Divine Flavor’s Aguirre.

Finally, while price promotions can help drive trial, relying solely on price can undervalue the category, says Mastronardi. “The real opportunity is in education and inspiration — showing consumers how versatile peppers are across cuisines and meal occasions.”