Squash, Summer

Commodity Overview

Squash is a popular seasonal item but keep it in your promotional plan year-round as it is popular with health-conscious shoppers. Offer multiple varieties of squash to your consumers. Clearly label each variety and offer some information on the taste and uses of each type of squash.

Produce Availability

Colors Information:
Domestic:
Import:
Export:
All:

PLUs

3140 cucuzza
4773 patty pan/summer
4774 red kuri
4775 scallopini
4782 yellow, straightneck
4784 yellow, crookneck
4086 yellow zucchini/gold bar
4067 zucchini
3418 zucchini, round

Varieties

Cucuzzo Squash

Yellow Crookneck Squash

Yellow Straightneck Squash

Zucchini Squash

8 Ball Squash

Retail Price Data is based on USDA Specialty Crops Market News surveys. Data collection ends on the report date and encompasses ad pricing good from the Saturday before the report release date through the following Friday. Weekly data - from over 400 retailers, comprising more than 30,000 individual stores with online weekly advertised features - covers over 250 produce items. Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

USDA Specialty Crops Market News publishes FOB and Movement data on a daily and weekly basis. Pricing and volume information is aggregated by commodity and published weekly, subject to any source-data adjustments. Commodity data is further processed based on origin (domestic vs imports) and type (regular vs. organic). Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

Facts

Squash offers a variety of health benefits. Summer squash is high in vitamin C, which can help boost the immune system and fight cancer. Many winter squashes are a good source of vitamin A, which helps protect eyes and skin. Butternut squash contains potassium, which is important for keeping bones healthy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for summer squash: fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free, low in calories, and high in vitamin C. Descriptors approved for spaghetti squash are: low-fat, saturated fat-free, very low sodium, cholesterol free and low in sodium. Descriptors approved for crookneck squash are: fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free and low in calories.

Sales Strategies

Squash’s many uses make it a perfect cross-merchandising partner, so promote it with soup stock, stir-fry vegetables and spaghetti sauce for spaghetti squash, grilling seasonings and flour and seasonings for fried squash.
Some type of squash is available year-round, so keep an eye on the calendar and offer promotion throughout the year.
Spring: Promote spaghetti squash to health-conscious consumers as a replacement for carb-laden noodles.
Summer: Zucchini and yellow squash are symbols of summer. Promote them during summertime grilling promotions.
Offer samples of different varieties of squash to familiarize consumers with the many flavors available to them.

Dynamic Displays

Offer multiple varieties of squash to your consumers. Clearly label each variety and offer some information on the taste and uses of each type of squash.
Avoid stacking squash more than four layers deep to keep from crushing the squash on the bottom layer. Be careful when stacking to create a display that won’t tumble onto the floor when consumers remove squash.
Use squash’s multiple colors to create a color break among other cooking vegetables.
Display zucchini and yellow squash with other vegetables popular in the summertime as they are often associated with summer.

Food Service

Yellow squash has a high water content. Before using it in a cooked dish, blanch the whole squash or add salt to shredded, sliced or julienne squash.
Create a cold squash soup to offer during the summer.
Yellow squash can be a substitute for eggplant or carrots.
Steam zucchini and yellow squash and serve as a colorful side dish.

In the Backroom

Shipping
summer squash 42-lb. bushel and 11⁄9-bushel containers 35-lb. cartons/crates 30-lb. 3⁄4-bushel cartons/crates 26-lb. cartons/lugs (California, Mexico) 21-lb. 1⁄2- or 5⁄9- containers 10-lb. 8-quart baskets/cartons

Grades
summer squash U.S. No. 1 U.S. No. 2

Handling
*Temperature: soft, 41 to 50 F, 5 to 10 C; *Relative humidity: soft, 95%; *Mist: summer, lightly; *Typical shelf life: soft, 7 to 14 days; *Ethylene-sensitive (Do not store or transport ethylene-sensitive items with commodities that produce ethylene.) *Soft squash is highly sensitive to freezing injury. (Likely to suffer injury by one light freezing.) *Susceptible to chilling injury (Damage sometimes is not apparent until the produce is returned to a higher temperature.) *Summer squash can be held at 32 to 40 F, 0 to 4.4 C for periods of less than four days. Use immediately after removing from refrigeration. *Scallopini squash is more perishable. Refrigerate and use promptly. *Summer squash that has been frozen will turn to mush due to high water content.

Equivalents

1⁄3-1⁄2 lb. winter squash = about 1 serving 2-lb. peeled, trimmed squash = about 4 cups cooked or 4 servings 1-lb. summer squash = about 4 cups grated 1-lb. summer squash = about 2 cups salted and squeezed 1-lb. summer squash = about 31⁄2 cups sliced or chunked 1-lb. summer squash = about 11⁄4 cups mashed 1-lb. summer squash = about 3 to 4 servings

Irigoyen Farms

Overview (7) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Selma, 93662 California

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Eggplant, Onions, Bulb, Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter, Jalapeño Peppers, Zucchini Squash

Specialties:

Daikon

Pete Pappas & Sons Inc

Overview (13) (0) (2)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Jessup, 20794 Maryland

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Melons:

Cantaloupe, Honeydew

Cooking Vegetables:

Potatoes

Salad Vegetables:

Broccoli, Cucumbers, Peppers, Mini Sweet

Produce West Inc HQ

Overview (9) (0) (6)

Business Type:

Broker, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Salinas, 93908 California

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Lemons, Oranges, Clementines / Mandarins / Tangerines

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Asian Pears, Figs

Garwood Orchards

Overview (2) (0) (1)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Retailer

Location HQ:

La Porte, 46350 Indiana

Berries:

Strawberries

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples

Melons:

Cantaloupe, Watermelon

Stone Fruit:

Apricots, Cherries, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums

Cooking Vegetables:

Corn

Torrey Farms Inc.

Overview (3) (0) (10)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Elba, 14058 New York

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Onions, Bulb, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter, Green Beans

Salad Vegetables:

Cucumbers

Caruso Produce Inc HQ

Overview (6) (0) (12)

Business Type:

Shipper, Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Canby, 97013 Oregon

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Gold Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Red Currants, Kiwiberries, Cape Gooseberries/Goldenberries

Citrus:

Melogold

Pacific International Marketing Inc HQ

Overview (23) (0) (11)

Business Type:

Broker, Exporter, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Salinas, 93901 California

Cooking Vegetables:

Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Corn, Eggplant, Peas, Squash, Summer

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach

Central West Produce Inc

Overview (5) (0) (2)

Business Type:

Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Santa Maria, 93455 California

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries

Cooking Vegetables:

Peas, Green Beans, Zucchini Squash

Organic Produce:

Organic Blackberries, Organic Blueberries, Organic Strawberries

Tutuli Produce LLC

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Exporter, Shipper, Importer

Location HQ:

Rio Rico, 85648 Arizona

Citrus:

Limes

Melons:

Watermelon

Tropical Fruit:

Mangoes

Salad Vegetables:

Peppers, Bell, Pickling Cucumbers

Cooking Vegetables:

Peppers, Chili, Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter, Green Beans

M & R Company

Overview (6) (0) (1)

Business Type:

Exporter, Grower, Shipper, Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Lodi, 95240 California

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Grapes

Stone Fruit:

Cherries

Cooking Vegetables:

Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter, Butternut Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Sweet Dumpling Squash, Green Acorn Squash

Nuts:

Walnuts

Squash, Summer

Squash, Summer

Commodity Overview

Produce Availability

PLUs

Varieties

Facts

Sales Strategies

Dynamic Displays

Food Service

In the Backroom

Equivalents

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