With supply from G&R Farms and its Latin American partners, the company will be able to supply the vegetable year-round. 

California-based Giumarra Companies has recently entered a deal with with G&R Farms of Glenville, Georgia to help market the group's onion crop, which is sourced both locally and from partners in Texas, Peru and Mexico.

"I was aware of Giumarra as a family-owned company with values similar to ours,” said G&R Farms co-owner Walt Dasher in a release.

"Once we met in person and shared our marketing goals and ideas, we found that there was a lot of common ground and it would be beneficial to partner. We hold their size and capabilities in high esteem."

G&R Farms began as a small family farm in 1945 and has expanded to become one of the longest-standing growers, marketers, and shippers of Vidalia onions in its region. The company currently farms nearly 1,000 acres of onions in Georgia, while also working with its Latin American growing partners to round out a 52-week supply.

“We greatly respect the excellent reputation for quality and heritage the Dasher family has established under G&R Farms,” said Giumarra Southeast sales and operations manager John Reese Franklin.

"We look forward to servicing our retail and foodservice customers with ample supplies of sweet onions."

G&R’s growing partners in Peru, Mexico, and Texas use the same sweet onion varieties G&R uses for its Georgia crop, thus ensuring quality and mild, sweet flavor. Onions may only be marketed as Vidalias when grown in 20 select South Georgia counties. G&R’s Georgia growing operations qualify to grow and ship Vidalias.

“Given that sweet onions represent the largest share of onion sales and are immensely popular with consumers, we are very excited about this opportunity,” said Giumarra's business development manager for the Midwest, Kristina Lorusso.

"One of the many reasons we were so eager to form a partnership with G&R is their state-of-the-art facilities. Because of their storage capacity and excellent crop quality, it is highly likely we will have Vidalia onions available through October."

The sweet onions are offered under the G&R label and are available in 10, 25, or 40-lb. bulk boxes, as well as 2, 3, 5, 10, and 25-lb. bags. Giumarra will launch this new product with a contest-driven collaboration featuring Vidalia sweet onions and California-grown avocados just in time for the Fourth of July grilling promotions.

Photo: G&R Farms

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