Ocean Mist updates winter artichokes harvest

Ocean Mist Farms is expecting an outstanding 2023 winter artichoke season with abundant volume and excellent quality throughout February and early March.

In time to meet shopper demand around healthy eating choices, as well as being a staple ingredient in comfort food during the winter months, the increased supply of artichokes provides retailers an opportunity for a seasonal boost in category sales, according to a news release.

The Castroville, California-based Ocean Mist’s winter artichoke crop is grown mostly in the Coachella Valley, with smaller volumes from farms in Baja, Mexico. The strong volume of artichokes is due in part to growing conditions, with few weather-related interruptions in Coachella. Quality is excellent, with the crop showing an abundance of larger sizes, according to the release.

“We are expecting excellent quality, with sizes peaking at mostly 12’s and 18’s,” Ben Wilson, Ocean Mist’s artichoke commodity manager, said in the release. “After a smaller than normal holiday crop, our winter crop will provide retailers with excellent promotional opportunities, especially on our largest sizes.”

A fourth-generation family-owned farming business, Ocean Mist bills itself as the largest North American grower of fresh artichokes. The company grows conventional and organic.