Retailers can look forward to abundant (read: promotable) volumes of high-quality onions from throughout the US this summer.

This year’s Vidalia onion crop is shaping up nicely, said John Shuman, president and CEO of Shuman Farms, and the company expects average yields with good quality. Vidalias should begin shipping at the end of April.

“We’re looking forward to a great season,” Shuman said.

Shuman Farms will encourage retailers to run both bulk and bag promotions on Vidalias this year.

After some challenges with snowfall early in the growing season, Vidalia crops have bounced back nicely with strong new growth, said Sloan Lott, sales director for Bland Farms.

“We’re expecting a good mix of sizes and excellent quality overall, setting us up for a solid spring and smooth transition into Vidalias,” Lott said.

Bland Farms will source onions from Mexico until Vidalia product enters the pipeline, Lott said.

The company is gearing up for the 2025 Vidalia season with a fresh marketing campaign built around nostalgia, family time, and the simple joys of summer, Lott said.

“As life slows down, we want to help shoppers savor the season’s sweetest moments — with fun giveaways, a curated summer playlist, and new recipes that really hone in on family meals.”

For its retail partners, Bland Farms is rolling out engaging in-store materials to keep Vidalias front and center. These will include contests and promotions to drive excitement in-store.

“It’s all about keeping the momentum going all season long, boosting sales, and giving customers even more reasons to love Vidalias.”

The end of the Vidalia season this year should be more in line with historical norms than the 2024 season was, Lott said.

An oversized Vidalia crop last year extended the season all the way through October, “a nice surprise,” Lott said, but not the norm

“This year, we’re planning for a more typical Vidalia season wrapping up around Labor Day and then making the move to Peru.”

Meeting consumers where they are

The onion category continues to evolve, Shuman said, driven by consumer demand for versatility, convenience, and sustainability.

Shoppers are looking for onions that fit their cooking habits, he added.

Other trends Shuman Farms is keeping a close eye on include consumer education and awareness, sustainability and surging demand for premium and sweet onions.

Many shoppers may not realize the unique differences between onion varieties, Shuman said. His company’s Shuman Farms University initiative provides retailer teams with educational content about Vidalia onions, helping them to speak to their customers while driving category awareness and sales.

When it comes to sustainability, meanwhile, Shuman Farms is investing in sustainable farming practices and exploring eco-friendly packaging solutions that meet retailer and consumer expectations.

And the demand for premium and sweet onions is led by one onion in particular, Shuman said.

“Sweet onions, particularly Vidalias, continue to drive the category, as shoppers recognize their versatility for grilling, roasting, and fresh applications.

Other trends tracking

One area that’s really taking off for Bland Farms is organics, Lott said.

“What started as just one load a week from Peru has grown to four, and with demand continuing to climb, we’re expanding our organic acreage there to keep pace.”

Another trend Bland Farms will keep a close eye on in 2025 is the shift from bulk to bags.

Shoppers are reaching for the convenience of bagged onions, and retailers are leaning in, driving up demand for bagged product across the board, Lott said.

“Over the past five years, our bag business has nearly doubled — what used to be four baggers under the grader is now eight, running full throttle.”

Something else Lott is excited about looking ahead to the second half of 2025 is a new laser weeder Bland Farms will be experimenting with on a test basis this season.

“We’ve got two units running up and down the fields all day, zapping weeds with precision. Not only does it cut down on labor, but it helps the onions grow faster and healthier by reducing competition in the soil.”

This article is an excerpt from the April 2025 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Onions feature and more in the digital edition here.