Your Specialty Produce Guide to Rosh Hashanah
It’s time to start building holiday displays – the 2024 celebrations of Rosh Hashanah are set to kick off the evening of October 2 and last until October 4.
Rosh Hashanah is the two-day celebration that marks the start of the Jewish new year. There are many traditions throughout the holiday that boost one’s luck in the new year. On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, it’s tradition to try ‘new fruits.’ The ‘new fruits’ tradition stems from the idea that sweet fruit will bring a sweet start to the year. These fruits are often ones that are newly in season or fruit that hasn’t been tried by consumers before.
Rosh Hashanah is the premier sales opportunity for exotic and specialty fruit for merchandisers. Many exotic fruits are not a part of the typical American diet, making varieties that fall under this category perfect for ‘new fruits’ promotions. Read on to find some of the most promotable fruit for the holiday:
DRAGON FRUIT
Dragon fruit is the fruit of a vining cactus that can be pink or yellow in skin. Note that these varieties are typically available year-round but fit into Rosh Hashanah promotions for being a specialty fruit. Dragon fruit has been growing in popularity over recent years but is still widely uncommon in traditional American grocery stores. Their trending status is bound to catch the eye of shoppers who’s heard of but never tried the fruit before.
Dragon fruit also caters towards picky shoppers as well. This variety should be more familiar to the average shopper than a specialty like quenepa. Dragon fruit also has a very subtle flavor that shouldn’t be too overwhelming.
Dragon fruit can be merchandised at room temperature alongside other specialty fruit, like papaya and Costa Rican gold pineapples. Keep displays at a minimum to ensure the fruit stays fresh and to avoid damage to bracts.
BARHI DATES
Dates are often eaten as part of Jewish celebrations for their connection to Jewish religion and culture. Barhi dates can be eaten in multiple stages – either the khalal (aka semi-ripe stage) or the rhutab stage (aka the ripe stage). For Rosh Hashanah ‘new fruits’, it’s important to understand the difference between khalal/rhutab dates and tamar dates. Tamar dates are dried dates that are available year-round. Dates that are available in the khalal and rutab stage are Barhi dates. Barhi is a highly seasonal variety – their California season has already wrapped for the year. Their Israeli season is just getting started but typically has an even shorter window than the California season.
Merchandise Barhi dates in the cold case. They should be displayed as close to 32°F in order to preserve shelf-life and slow the ripening process.
Suggested Reading: Your Variety Guide to Barhi Dates and How to Merchandise Them
GOLDEN BERRIES
Golden berries are tropical berries about the size of a cherry tomato. Their flavor is sweet and tart, with tropical notes. There are often two varieties of golden berries available on the commercial market – husked and peeled.
Husked golden berries are shipped with their husk still intact. This variety is more common among foodservice professionals because the husked allows for an elevated plating experience.
Peeled golden berries, on the other hand, have their tan papery husk removed. This variety is best for snacking, making it the preferred choice for Rosh Hashanah promotions.
Regardless of the variety, both husked and peeled golden berries are often sold in retail-friendly packs. Incorporate golden berries into displays showcasing kid-friendly and snack-able fruits.
STARFRUIT
When uncut, starfruit can be a pretty funny looking fruit. It has crisp, waxy skin with deep lateral ridges. Its flavor is sweet and tropical, with notes of pineapple and grape. Starfruit is an extremely popular tropical fruit, loved for its star-shape once sliced.
When merchandising starfruit, it’s important to know that it’s extremely delicate. Starfruit should be handled carefully to avoid bruising. Consider cutting a starfruit to incorporate into the display for consumers to see its fun shape.
MAMEY SAPOTE
Mamey is an exotic fruit perfect for Rosh Hashanah promotions. It has one of the most seasonally relevant flavors – a mix of pumpkin and sweet potato. Mamey is also extremely easy to prep, all it needs is to be cut in half and then the flesh is able to be scooped out. Consider offering samples of these delicious and hassle-free fruit as part of the promotion.
Mamey should be merchandised at room temperature to preserve shelf-life. Be mindful that the fruit is extremely sensitive to ethylene and should be stored away from ethylene producing items.