Stone Fruit: Winner Across Demographics

The U.S. delivers a steady stream of high-quality peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines.

Concentrated in California, with smaller volumes from Washington State, Oregon and Georgia, the U.S. stone fruit industry offers high-quality peaches, plums, apricots, and other items. The season extends from April to November, providing a compelling product during the peak summer months.

With the 2026 crop running about 10 days ahead of 2025 due to warmer weather, grocery retailers need to begin planning now. That includes developing strategies to drive impulse and complementary sales among an increasingly broad base of stone fruit consumers.

Michael Thurlow, national sales specialist at Reedley, CA-headquartered Mountain View Fruit Sales, says the California season is shaping up to be promising, with a strong fruit set and sizing, healthy orchards, and favorable weather conditions.

“We’re taking a hands-on, proactive approach to thinning and crop management to ensure excellent size, shape, and eating quality right out of the gate,” he says. “We’re seeing excellent orchard health and strong early indicators, giving us confidence in a high-quality, promotable season.”

Mountain View offers a full range of California-grown stone fruit, including yellow and white peaches and nectarines, apricots and plums, with timing driven by variety and growing region.

Based in Porterville, CA, Homegrown Organic Farms offers a strong organic stone fruit lineup, including California-grown peaches, nectarines, plums, pluots and apricots, available primarily from May through September.

According to deciduous category director, Stephen Paul, peak promotable volumes occur from late June through early August, and demand is thriving, aided by increasing consumer interest in understanding how food is grown. He says Homegrown’s own stone fruit program continues to grow, with consistent volume increases.

To the north, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Oppy maintains its position as the leading importer of Southern Hemisphere stone fruit during the winter, according to the company’s executive director of grapes and stone fruit, Bill Poulos.

Some 90% of the company’s imported fruit is sourced from Chile and South Africa, although Poulos stresses growth opportunities into the U.S. weren’t limited by the 30% tariff South Africa faced during most of the season. Oppy has Chilean peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots between December and May, plums and pluots from South Africa from January to May, and Oregon prune plums in August and September.

On a much smaller scale, Sparta, MI-located Riveridge Produce Marketing markets a growing volume of peaches and prune plums at a regional level each year, all of which are sourced from Michigan producers.

Marketing Manager Trish Taylor says volume depends on Michigan weather, although turnaround from the orchard to packing to bulk and pouch bags in store is pretty quick, given the local nature of the business. Additionally, she says Riveridge’s packing facility “does an amazing job with quality,” utilizing AI to detect defects.

“It’s a great opportunity for those in the Midwest to enjoy these summer fruits grown locally — no need to get them from Georgia,” Taylor adds. “Michigan peaches are all their own with flavor and juiciness.”

EFFECTIVE DISPLAYS

According to Robert Schueller, director of public relations at Los Angeles, CA-based Melissa’s Produce, the industry is readying for a robust California stone fruit season for 2026, following a weather-affected 2025.

Melissa’s offers apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, plumcots and other specialties between May and September from California, as well as counter-seasonal fruit during December to early March from New Zealand and Chile.

Schueller recommends using endcaps to display peak season together as a late-spring, early-fall category, focusing on apricots during May-June, alongside nectarines and peaches from May-
early September, as well as plums and plumcots from late May-early September.

He also suggests placing stone fruit close to other summer fruits, such as grapes, cherries and melons, to maximize sales.

Audrey Desnoyers, director of business development and key account management at Oppy, says keeping imported peaches, plums and nectarines near imported grapes for impulse purchases is important during the winter, when stone fruit is not as top of mind.

Approaching summer, she says the focus should switch to creating excitement and visibility with large, abundant displays that signal freshness and local seasons.

Mountain View’s Thurlow recommends front-of-store or high-traffic placements with large, abundant displays — organized by variety and color to create visual appeal — that signal freshness and seasonality. He also suggests leading promotions with seasonal messaging, such as “California Grown,” as well as emphasizing eating quality and readiness.

Bianca Kaprielian from Reedley, CA-based Creekside Organics — a company formed following the recent merger of Kaprielian’s business Fruit World with Creekside — says 2025 was a strong year, thanks to a focus on keeping programs consistent while bringing excitement through new varieties, such as Ume plums.

“We’re always looking at ways to keep the category fresh,” says Kaprielian. “We’re focused on strong varieties that deliver high flavor and great texture.”

The company starts with Ume plums and early organic cherries and apricots, an early window which Kaprielian says brings great energy and sets the tone for the season ahead. From there, Creekside moves into organic peaches and nectarines as the season builds into summer.

To get the most from stone fruit, Kaprielian recommends “big, full, colorful displays,” which help the category “feel like summer” the second shoppers walk up to it. “Mixing varieties, leaning into the color range, and building volume all help,” she adds. “Sampling can make a huge difference, too. Once someone tastes a great peach or apricot, they’re in. When the fruit is great, shoppers notice — and they come back for it.”

“Sampling can make a huge difference. Once someone tastes a great peach or apricot, they’re in. When the fruit is great, shoppers notice — and they come back for it.”
— Bianca Kaprielian, Creekside Organics, Reedley, CA

According to Paul at Homegrown, stone fruit performs best when merchandised with an emphasis on abundance, vibrant color, and clear ripeness cues. “Sampling, secondary displays, and storytelling around flavor and farming practices are all effective in driving sales.”

Paul says there is also a strong opportunity to tie promotions to seasonal moments, such as summer holidays, family gatherings, and outdoor events like Fourth of July celebrations. “These occasions naturally align with stone fruit and help position it as a centerpiece for summer enjoyment.”

Another Reedley, CA grower, Moonlight Companies, produces peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots April through November, following the natural progression of the season from the Coachella Valley through California’s Central Valley and into Washington State. “This allows us to extend the domestic season while maintaining consistent quality from orchard to shelf,” says Chief Marketing Officer Ben Vived.

Rather than importing during the off-season, Moonlight — which supplies both conventional and organic — prefers to stay within its own growing regions to “maintain full control over quality, flavor, and consistency,” Vived says.

“Stone fruit is a seasonal event; retailers should treat it that way,” he continues. “We see the greatest opportunity for incremental growth in the core summer months. That’s where retailers can win by staying aggressive — maintaining display space and expanding how the category is merchandised.”

PERFECT COMBINATIONS

Paul suggests pairing stone fruit with items that enhance convenience or inspire usage, such as yogurt, granola, baking ingredients or cheeses. He also sees strong opportunities alongside berries, grapes and citrus to create a full seasonal fruit display that encourages larger basket sizes.

Kaprielian says stone fruit naturally bridges sweet and savory, creating easy cross-merchandising opportunities. “Think specialty cheese with apricots and nectarines, peaches alongside proteins for grilling, and beverage pairings — stone fruit for iced tea, sangria, and summer cocktails or mocktails.”

Similarly, Thurlow says extra sales are available by situating stone fruit beside berries and cherries for seasonal fruit sets, shortcake and whipped cream for desserts, yogurt and granola for breakfast and snacking, as well as near grilling items as a grilling complement. Impulse purchases can also be found by placing stone fruit near bakery or deli, he adds.

During the import stone fruit season, Oppy’s Desnoyers advocates running promotions pairing peaches, plums and nectarines with green, red and black grapes from the Southern Hemisphere.

Tapping into the potential for white flesh peaches, nectarines and sweet-tart plums to complement charcuterie boards, she suggests placement should be considered close to favorite protein sources, such as pork, chicken and tofu.

Bearing in mind stone fruit’s sweet appeal to children, Desnoyers also recommends keeping small-sized, specialty offerings, like donut peaches, pluots, cherry plums and sugar plums, on hand for lunches and snacks.

PRICING CORRECTLY

When it comes to pricing, Kaprielian recommends leaning into promotable windows. “When volume is there, and fruit is eating well, that’s the time to go big,” she says. “Sharp pricing helps bring shoppers. Consistency matters too. Keeping pricing approachable during the season helps build momentum week over week.”

Thurlow at Mountain View advocates aggressive early-season promotions to help build momentum, followed by maintaining price and value in alignment with quality — “especially early when fruit is at a premium.”

He also suggests using multi-buy offers, such as two-for-one or bulk pricing, to drive volume, while ensuring pricing supports display size and turnover, keeping fruit fresh.

Although organic stone fruit can command a premium, Homegrown’s Paul says strategic and competitive pricing, especially during peak volume periods, is key to driving trial and repeat purchases. “Clear communication around quality, flavor, and farming practices helps justify price points, while also educating consumers on the value of organic and the commitment behind it from growers.”

GETTING STORAGE RIGHT

A notoriously fragile product, stone fruits of all types are prone to bruising and spoilage due to mishandling and poor storage practices at the store level. To counter this, Melissa’s Schueller recommends avoiding storing stone fruit in refrigerated cases, and making sure they are kept clear of misters. He also advises against high stacking to avoid damage.

Instead, he suggests grab-and-go packages — typically bags around 1-2 pounds in weight — as an ideal option for maintaining fruit in optimum conditions. “Grab-and-go totes packages are ideal as fruit stays better, especially for proper ring through,” Schueller adds.

“Proper handling is essential to maintaining quality,” says Paul. “Gentle handling, regular rotation, and avoiding over-stacking help minimize damage and preserve fruit integrity. Education is also critical, as helping both retail teams and consumers understand ripening stages can significantly improve the overall eating experience.”

“Proper handling is essential to maintaining quality. Gentle handling, regular rotation, and avoiding over-stacking help minimize damage and preserve fruit integrity.”
— Stephen Paul, Homegrown Organic Farms, Porterville, CA

Thurlow advises against excessive cold storage, given the sensitivity of stone fruit to chilling injury. At the same time, he recommends displaying fruit at room temperature to encourage ripening and enhance aroma, alongside frequent rotation to maintain freshness and visual appeal.

When handled correctly, he believes there is strong potential to expand the stone fruit market, especially by offering early and late season varieties to maximize the growing period so fruit is available to consumers longer.

Thurlow’s confidence is based on the broad appeal of stone fruit, which spreads across demographics, from families and kids who “gravitate toward sweet, easy-to-eat fruit with good size and minimal acidity” to adults who are “increasingly focused on flavor, texture, and premium eating experience.”

Like Thurlow, Paul believes the category’s cross-generational appeal can continue to drive growth. “Families with children are often drawn to its sweetness and snackability; older consumers typically value consistency, quality, and price, making a dependable eating experience especially important,” he says.