Legend Produce says its partnership with Honduran grower-exporter Agrolibano and Kiss melons will return in February and run through May. The companies have collaborated for more than 25 years to bring winter melons to the domestic market.
Retailers can expect the orange-fleshed Sugar Kiss and green-fleshed Summer Kiss melons to offer consumers a sweet, high-Brix eating experience, according to Legend Produce.
The company says it will ship weekly deliveries to Port Hueneme, Calif., and Miami, and a limited volume of containers will also be available to select partners in Asia and Europe.
“Production will be limited, but our goal is to keep a consistent volume on both coasts (East and West) to cover a larger geography and evaluate the response from consumers,” says Marco Ochoa, chief financial officer for Legend Produce.
Reversing the Category Downturn
Ochoa sees 2026 as an inflection point for melons, noting some varieties have not performed well with consumers and retailers, while wholesalers and foodservice look to melon varieties that can bring customers back to the category. This will put pressure on breeders, growers and shippers to help deliver a great eating experience, he explains.
Retailers are looking to fresh-cut melons to tap into consumers’ interest in convenience, Ochoa adds.
“More and more retailers are transitioning to cutting fruit in-store to preserve freshness, increase appeal, and convenience,” he says. “There is a great opportunity here to capitalize on that growth and ensure melons are at the forefront of giving retail shoppers more healthy options to fill their baskets with.”
Precision Growing in Southern Honduras
Legend Produce co-founder Barry Zwillinger says Agrolibano has been growing melons in Honduras for more than 40 years and has the expertise and state-of-the-art facilities to execute Sugar Kiss’ strict harvesting and packing guidelines, which help to deliver the eating experience consumers have come to expect from Kiss melons.
“The Sugar Kiss program follows the same quality assurance protocols no matter where it is grown,” Zwillinger says. “Our focus is to ‘harvest for flavor.’ Our internal processes ensure that only the best melons reach the consumer’s hands.”
Zwillinger says southern Honduras is the premier melon-growing region in Central America due to its diversity of soils and microclimates. This means Agrolibano can grow in five different regions with a wide range of melon varieties.
“We have identified the farms and time windows we feel will produce an optimal crop, but it really boils down to the expertise of the people growing the melons at Agrolibano,” Zwillinger says. “They are, without a doubt, one of the best in the industry. Their care and attention to detail are exceptional.”
