Glennville, GA — Bland Farms, the largest year-round grower, packer, and shipper of sweet onions, is thrilled to announce that their Vidalia Sweet Onions will be available through early October for the first time in years. This extended season is a rare opportunity for consumers to enjoy these coveted sweet onions well beyond the typical season, just in time for Labor Day grilling and fall recipes!
“We have a rather unique opportunity this year because of a bumper crop,” said Delbert Bland, owner of Bland Farms. “We typically supply Vidalia Sweet Onions until the end of August, but this year, thanks to exceptional weather and advanced storage technology, we will have a supply until the first part of October.”
The extended availability is great news for Vidalia Sweet Onion enthusiasts who savor the mild, sweet flavor that only Georgia-grown Vidalias can provide. This year’s exceptional crop is attributed to favorable weather conditions during the growing season. “The winter wasn’t cold enough to damage the crop, and we enjoyed a perfect spring,” Bland added.
Bland Farms’ state-of-the-art controlled-atmosphere storage rooms have played a pivotal role in extending the availability of Vidalia Sweet Onions. These advanced storage techniques allow the onions to retain their quality and flavor, ensuring they come out of storage as fresh and delicious as when they were first harvested. “The quality is excellent, and they look fantastic. Our controlled atmosphere storage helps the onions dry, healing any blemishes and maintaining their premium quality,” said Bland.
Ordinarily, Bland Farms transitions from Vidalia Sweet Onions to Premium Sweet Onions from Peru by early to mid-August. However, due to this year’s bumper crop, the company will now export the early portion of its Peruvian onions to international markets. “We’ve started harvesting in Peru, but with so many Vidalias still in storage, we’ll export our early Peruvian crop,” Bland explained. “It’s a good problem to have, and we are committed to keeping Vidalias on the shelf as long as possible.”
To celebrate the extended Vidalia Sweet Onion season, Bland Farms invites consumers to explore a range of delicious grilling and fall recipes available on their website.
In addition to this exciting news, Bland Farms is partnering with another long-standing Georgia Grown company, Big Green Egg, for the second consecutive year for their “Gameday Sweetness” promotion. Bland Farms is thrilled that the promotion aligns with a monumental year for the Big Green Egg as they celebrate their 50th anniversary year. The national sweepstakes will feature social media giveaways from both companies and culminate in a grand prize drawing for a large Big Green Egg grill in February. The grand prize includes a Large Big Green Egg with an integrated Nest + Handler with Mates package and a supply of Bland Farms Premium Sweet Onions. Additional prizes include a variety of Big Green Egg accessories. Bland Farms will also collaborate with retail partners to display promotional point-of-sale materials to support the sweepstakes, alongside extensive support through social media and the Bland Farms website.
For more information on the extended Vidalia Sweet Onion season and to enter the “Gameday Sweetness” sweepstakes, visit Bland Farms’ website or Bland Farms social media networks.
About Bland Farms
Head-quartered in Glennville, Georgia, Bland Farms is the largest year-round grower, packer, and shipper of sweet onions and is an industry-recognized name for Vidalia® Sweet Onions. Bland Farms represents almost one-third of all Vidalia® onions marketed.