Mar 19, 2024

Texas 1015 sweet onion harvest starts

Harvest of Texas 1015 Sweet Onions (TX1015) has started, and the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) is kicking off promotional activities.

Funded through a USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant through the Texas Department of Agriculture, promotions aim to boost brand recognition and sales for TX1015s, targeting both retailers and consumers. Throughout the season, the comprehensive campaign will use digital and in-person platforms to increase consumption and drive sales.

Building on the success of a record-breaking 2023 campaign, TIPA will release a new video series, “Peeling Back the Layers of the TX1015,” highlighting the stories of the Texans who cultivate TX1015s, offering consumers a deeper connection to the heritage, hearts and hands behind each onion.

“We’re excited to offer this behind-the-scenes look at the individuals behind the TX1015 Sweet Onion and to honor the dedication of the families and farmworkers whose commitment to quality is feeding families across the country,” Dante Galeazzi, president of the association, said in a news release. “It’s important to know where our food is coming from and to understand the profound connections that we have with our produce through the growers in our local communities.”

Consumer-facing promotions in this year’s campaign will extend to a broader audience than ever before, including a “Sizzlin’ Flavor” sweepstakes (which features over $1,000 in prizes), monthly social media giveaways, a food influencer recipe contest and a cookbook highlighting the versatility of the TX1015.

For the second year, TIPA will collaborate with Texas food legend David Elder of “Texas Eats” to highlight the history and significance of the official vegetable of the Lone Star State. The Rio Grande Valley will see the return of the Annual TX1015 Eat Sweet Restaurant Week event, during which local restaurants will feature special menu items incorporating TX1015 sweet onions.

“This year’s dynamic campaign is already off to a fantastic start, and we’re confident it will reach new audiences and leave an impact statewide and beyond,” Galeazzi said in the release. “Many consumers are not aware that all US-grown sweet onions were bred from the original TX1015 sweets, and we’re on a mission to change that.”

While a brisk January has affected early yields, availability is anticipated to rise substantially as temperatures increase in the Rio Grande Valley. With mild winter conditions, exceptional quality is anticipated. Excellent quality, size, and availability are expected to continue throughout the summer as the harvest begins in the Winter Garden region in another 6-8 weeks.