Every summer, fans of Hatch chiles count down the days until the harvest begins — typically in early August — bringing the smoky scent of roasted peppers to grocery store parking lots and farmers markets far beyond New Mexico's borders. The seasonal frenzy has grown into a nationwide celebration, complete with an annual festival, retail promotions, roasting stations and regional pride.
But while Hatch chiles might steal the spotlight, another New Mexico staple quietly complements the heat: sweet, mild onions grown in the same fertile valleys. Together, these crops tell a story of local flavor, agricultural tradition and growing national appeal.
Hatch sweet onions
Hatch chile season might not officially begin until late July, but Melissa's Produce says Hatch sweet onions offer retailers a flavorful head start. Available from late May through July, these sweet, yellow onions are grown in New Mexico's legendary Hatch Valley, where rich soil and ideal growing conditions create a flavor that's sweet, mellow and perfect for summer grilling season, according to a news release.
“Melissa's Hatch sweet onions are the unsung hero of Hatch season,” says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa's. “Melissa's has seen steady sales growth year after year — proof that shoppers respond to the Hatch name, even before Hatch pepper season officially begins. For retailers, it's a chance to spark early excitement, boost seasonal onion movement and lay the groundwork for a high-performing Hatch program.”
What makes Hatch chiles so special
Grown exclusively in the Hatch Valley of southern New Mexico, Hatch chiles thrive in the area's unique combination of high desert climate, rich volcanic soil and temperature swings between hot days and cool nights. The terroir gives Hatch chiles their signature flavor: earthy, slightly smoky and ranging from mild to hot, depending on the variety.
While technically a type of New Mexican green chile, Hatch chiles are distinguished by their place of origin, and for some fans, no other chile compares.
Their short season, typically from August through September, adds to their allure, fueling a cult-like following among food lovers who count the days until fresh Hatch chiles are back in stores and farmers markets.
The numbers tell the popular pepper's success as well. Chris DuBois, leader of account teams for Circana says, “Hatch chiles have been solid growers over the last year with a 13.9% sales increase over the last year (ending June 15) compared to the previous year. While their sales are substantially less than poblanos, serranos and some others, the peppers are starting to catch more consumer interest in the produce aisle. Units (i.e., number of peppers) grew 22.7%, which is a healthy rate given that average prices came down over the past year.
“In and out items such as Hatch chiles create real excitement in the store and encourage shoppers to seek out new items in produce,” DuBois says. “We also see some spikes around Hatch chile season for items that are shelf-stable throughout the year, such as Hatch chile salsa. It's like some of the produce department promotions stimulate consumers to seek that flavor in different parts of the store. Seasonal promotions also help create excitement in the store, especially when retailers get into the game. Just like creating Valentine's Day gifts of chocolate-covered strawberries in-store, roasting peppers can go a long way to make the store trip fun and stimulate sales.”
When asked what makes Hatch chile peppers such a sensation, Bernadette Acosta, president of the Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce says” “Our chiles are packed with flavor because of the sun, the water, the way the water comes in and the soil. It all makes a perfect combination to make our peppers extraordinary.”
Because the pepper is seasonal and only available for a short time, some consumers buy them by the case, either pre-roasted or to roast at home and freeze for use all year.
“I know of some families who come from Texas and California and will take home 50 to 100 pounds of chiles,” Acosta says. “They'll take them home fresh and roast later, or if they're roasted, they'll put them in baggies in an ice chest and put them in the freezer as soon as they get home. There's a reason we've called them ‘New Mexico gold.'”
Hatch Chile Festival
Each year since 1972, the Hatch Chile Festival transforms the small New Mexico village into a celebration of culture, community and the chile pepper that put it on the map.
The Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce puts on the Hatch Chile Festival each Labor Day weekend; this year's event will be the 53rd year celebrating chile peppers as well as its farmers, big and small, Acosta says.
“A lot of small farmers, with maybe one or two acres will plant chiles. They help supplement their income by selling the chiles.
The peppers bring in visitors year round to shop the stores for preserved or frozen chile pepper products, but the festival weekend sees the true surge, with about 15,000 or more people attending, Acosta says.
Hatch is a very small town, Acosta says, so the roasting events are more of a way that the celebration has branched across the U.S. at grocery stores. Still, there are chile stores that will set up roasting events non-stop from July through the end of September.
Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa's Produce, says of the Hatch Chile Festival: “Hatch, New Mexico is a growing region, but there's like two blocks of infrastructure, shops, restaurants, hotels… So, where do these tens of thousands of visitors hang out? Visitors bring their RVs and tents, and it becomes a large camp for three days. It makes the Gilroy Garlic Festival look like a hangout in comparison.”
Roasting at retail
Retailers like Harmons, a grocer with 20 locations spanning from northern Utah to St. George, have turned green chile roasting (the grocer celebrates a variety of chiles, not just Hatch) into an anticipated event, drawing crowds eager to experience the aroma and flavor of freshly roasted green chiles.
This year's event will be Harmons' 18th year of its Harmons Chile Roast, that even includes a one-day Taste of Chile Roast sampling event. The grocer says during chile roast season, a variety of chiles (including local) are available at Harmons stores. After selecting their chiles, customers can watch as skilled on-site roasters expertly fire-roast their peppers for free, according to a news release.
Roasting adds a smoky detail and also makes the chiles easier to peel, the grocer says.
A popular part of the Chile Roast event includes chile concoctions from the Harmons kitchen such as Hatch green chile pineapple salsa, chile mac and cheese, Harmons chile cheese brats and more.
“Our annual chile roast event is a highly anticipated tradition for Harmons and our customers, bringing the community together to celebrate the incredible flavors of Hatch chiles and other chile products,” says Lori Nigh, vice president of sales for Harmons. “Our A Taste of Chile roast event is offering a unique tasting and roasting experience for our customers to sample and discover new ways to enjoy these delicious chiles.”
From flame to fork
For those wanting to bring the heat to their home kitchens, chefs and bloggers such as Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack are teaching fans how to roast, store and savor Hatch chiles at home.
Marquez-Sharpnack is an award-winning food blogger, and author of “Muy Bueno, Latin Twist” and “Muy Bueno Fiestas.” She is the founder of MuyBuenoBlog.com, where she shares cherished Mexican family recipes, cultural traditions and travel stories.
“Hatch chile season is something I look forward to every year,” Marquez-Sharpnack says. “Growing up in El Paso, Texas, I was surrounded by the intoxicating aroma of roasting chiles — whether it was my grandma using a comal for her salsa casera, my mom roasting under the broiler, or now, me roasting Hatch and Pueblo chiles over an open flame right in my Colorado kitchen. That scent of popping, blistering chiles still brings back memories of home, family and tradition.”
Marquez-Sharpnack says she has watched the demand grow beyond the Southwest.
“It's amazing to see how Hatch chiles have gone from being a regional treasure to a national obsession. Every August, I see grocery stores all over the U.S. advertising Hatch chile roasting events. I've even had followers as far as the East Coast asking me where they can get their hands on fresh Hatch chiles — and how to roast them at home!”
Marquez-Sharpnack says in Colorado, many stores now host outdoor chile roasts, complete with huge rotating drums and the irresistible scent of charred chile in the air.
“It's not just a shopping trip — it's an event. Families line up to get their freshly roasted chiles by the case,” she says.
Once home, consumers can choose from Marquez-Sharpnack's recipes to create their own Hatch chile traditions.