Double Date Packing Inc. is touting its three sizes of pouch bags for potential promotional opportunities as the always-popular spring season arrives for California dates.

Dates are harvested in the fall and sold from storage the rest of the year with packers looking to reduce their inventory as the next season arrives. Hope Barbee, vice president of sales for the Coachella, CA-based company, said the 2021-22 season is progressing on schedule with strong sales during the first half of the sales season. She noted that heading into Easter (April 17) and the month-long Ramadan (April 2-May 2) holidays, retailers are lining up their promotional options and booking orders. Celebrants of both religious holiday periods use dates liberally as part of their holiday meals. Ramadan features a month of fasting with dates being the traditional food to break the day-long fast each evening.

Barbee said bulk dates are typically utilized for the export market while the retail-ready pouches have become popular among U.S. retailers. Speaking of the bulk export shipments, Barbee said it has been a very good season for foreign sales after close to two years of more limited sales because of the coronavirus. “Of course, we had a downturn in export sales during the coronavirus, but they have come back strong.”

She noted that domestic consumption of dates increased over the last couple of years with many consumers looking for healthier alternatives and utilizing dates in a variety of recipes. As export sales return and domestic sales remain strong, she called it a win-win for date shippers.

She added that date sales have always thrived with a multi-dimensional effort. Medjools are the star and the date most often sold as a fresh option in grocery stores and in the Double Date pouch bag. The company also relies on the ingredient market. The third leg on the chair is the export market.

While the export market has come back, Barbee said it is not without challenges as the supply chain issues are real. Speaking in late February, she said it takes about three weeks to complete a delivery to an export customer so time is beginning to run out on export sales for Ramadan.

Corey Torczon, who is in business development for the company, said the pouch bag gives retailers an excellent opportunity to bring attention to the category and stimulate impulse sales. Double Date offers the pouch bag in 8-ounce, one-pound and two-pound options. The bag has been redesigned this year to feature a double window to give the dates more visibility. “There is a window on both the front and back of the pack,” he said. “The pouch bag has an appeal to it and does not get lost in the produce department.” 

He added that dates are increasingly popular but promotion and visibility in the produce department are still needed to increase sales. “Innovation is key for the growth of our category,” he said. “We have built our company on quality and now the pouch bag brings excitement.” 

Torczon also reported that Double Date is getting great results with online sales through Amazon. “We have been on Amazon for one year and the results are promising,” he said.

Barbee agreed that dates are a growth category with an excellent future. “It’s a good time for dates,” she said, noting that the category received a boost during COVID-19 and is still garnering great coverage on social media. “Dates continue to trend on social media with people creating incredible recipes using dates. Consumers are making their own paste, using them in appetizer recipes, consuming as a quick snack. It’s great for the industry.”

Tim Linden grew up in a produce family as both his father and grandfather spent their business careers on the wholesale terminal markets in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Tim graduated from San Diego State University in 1974 with a degree in journalism. Shortly thereafter he began his career at The Packer where he stayed for eight years, leaving in 1983 to join Western Growers as editor of its monthly magazine. In 1986, Tim launched Champ Publishing as an agricultural publishing specialty company.

Today he is a contract publisher for several trade associations and writes extensively on all aspects of the produce business. He began writing for The Produce News in 1997, and currently wears the title of Editor at Large.

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