Lunar New Year is one of the most important food-driven holidays for Asian households, and an increasingly valuable growth window for U.S. retailers. For 2026, Melissa's Produce says it is offering a Lunar New Year program designed to help retailers participate in the season with confidence, through strong assortments that scale to different store formats and shopper needs.
"Lunar New Year is a meaningful food holiday, and retailers approach it in different ways depending on their stores and shoppers," says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa's. "Our goal is to provide the right mix of products and support so retailers can build a program that feels appropriate for their market."
Growing and Influential Shopper Segment
Melissa's says Asian Americans represent a fast-growing consumer group in the U.S., now totaling over 22 million people or about 7% of the population. This group continues to over-index in produce purchases and shows strong interest in organic and specialty items, Schueller says.
As Lunar New Year becomes more widely recognized across the U.S., it presents an opportunity for retailers to connect with these shoppers in a relevant and timely way.
Schueller says Melissa's has long been recognized as a leader in Asian produce, offering a broad assortment spanning fresh fruits and vegetables, organics, snacks, convenience items and giftable specialty produce. This depth allows retailers to go well beyond a single Lunar New Year display and instead create a destination set that serves both core Asian shoppers and increasingly adventurous mainstream consumers, he says.
"Lunar New Year is very food-driven, so we focus on giving retailers the building blocks people actually cook with," Schueller says. "Along with fresh produce, we offer value-added items like wonton and egg roll wrappers, kimchi, organic tofu, dried shiitake mushrooms, organic ginger, shallots, edamame and a Hot Pot Essentials kit, so retailers can merchandise the holiday as a cooking occasion and tailor the mix to their stores."
Premium Options for Gifting
Food gifting is a common part of Lunar New Year celebrations, and Melissa's offers several premium options suited for seasonal displays, including imported Korean grapes. New for 2026, Melissa's is also offering a two-pack of extra-large Butterscotch pears, designed for shoppers looking for a simple, gift-ready option during the holiday season.
The 2026 Lunar New Year runs Feb. 17 through March 3, spanning 15 days of celebrations. Melissa's says it supports retailers with Lunar New Year marketing materials such as banners, bin signs, shelf strips and product cards, along with seasonal Lunar New Year labels on select Asian Essentials items for a consistent in-store look. The program is further supported by Melissa's Lucky Foods social media giveaway.
Schueller says Melissa's Lunar New Year program is available now.
