Demand is strengthening for squash out of Michigan. "It has been picking up here in the last couple of weeks," says Jordan Vande Guchte of Superior Sales. "Thanksgiving is a big push. We have a number of customers who we guarantee supply for through Thanksgiving–especially on butternut squash because it's a side dish favorite across the country."
Vande Guchte says butternut squash is a side dish favorite across the country.
Meanwhile, the supply of squash is good. Harvesting in the state begins on early crop off of plastic in June and then as the fall comes, the market tends to be fairly flooded with product. "At this time of year into early November, a lot of the small pockets of supply clean up and it falls to some of us bigger suppliers," says Vande Guchte, adding that that is also contributing to increasing demand on Michigan squash.
A significant portion of Superior Sales' supply is storage crop squash. Of three of the top varieties of squash–acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash, along with kabocha–movement is ahead on spaghetti in 2024 over 2023. "On acorn, we're behind where we were last year though all of this is taken with a grain of salt because last year, spaghetti had one of, if not the, highest record yields that we've ever seen," says Vande Guchte. Acorn supplies are stronger this year and movement is improving.
Last year, spaghetti squash had one of, if not the highest record yields that Superior Sales has seen.
Pricing on squash
As for pricing, that greater supply of acorn squash means pricing is down this year. "For us, that's reflective of us trying to play a bit of catch up and perhaps earning market share in places we wouldn't otherwise," says Vande Guchte, adding that acorn pricing is expected to strengthen. Meanwhile, butternut pricing is comparable to last year and spaghetti squash pricing is up versus last year. Those prices will likely hold, particularly with Mexican squash supply coming into the winter months.
A greater supply of acorn squash means pricing is down this year.
Adding to pricing is also continued higher labor costs in Michigan. "For us, H-2A labor has had yet another increase here coming into this year. We're up another seven percent compared to 2023 and I think that's played a part in some of these markets," adds Vande Guchte.
For more information:
Jordan Vande Guchte
Superior Sales
1-616-896-6500 Ext. #110
[email protected]
https://www.superior-sales.com/