Owyhee Produce Explains How the Onion Game has Changed: The Northwest is Shipping Onions Year-Round
August 21, 2025 | 2 min to read
For years, onion growers in the West followed a seasonal model, but Owyhee Produce is transforming this with strategic investments, enabling them to provide a 52-week supply of onions. By enhancing cold storage, food safety, and logistics, they meet the evolving demands of buyers who seek consistency and reliability. With the number of weeks shipping over 200 truckloads increasing by 35% since 2010, the shift toward year-round production is clear: the Northwest is now open for business every day of the year.
For years, most onion growers across the West operated with an unspoken rhythm: ship for a few months, then shut it down. Whether you were in Utah, Washington, California, or Colorado, the model was seasonal — and for a long time, that worked.
But the landscape has changed.
At Owyhee Produce, we’ve made strategic investments to shift the Northwest from a 7- or 8-month shipping region to a full 52-week supply partner. That’s not marketing fluff — we’re already doing it. Cold storage, food safety, year-round crews, whole peeled programs, and the logistics to match: all in place, all operating.
The reality is this: the buyer’s expectations have shifted. They don’t want to requalify multiple suppliers or juggle inconsistent specs, food safety audits, or shipping timelines. They want dependability — and that’s exactly what we’re offering, every single week of the year.
I say this not to provoke, but to make it clear: if you’re planning to plant for a shrinking shipping window while assuming you’ll have the same market share as before — you may want to rethink your strategy.
We’re not the only ones making this shift. But we’re committed, and we’re not looking back.
It’s a new era in the onion industry. The Northwest is open for business — every day of the year.
And keep this perspective in mind: while the **number of weeks** that the Northwest ships ≥ 200 truck‑loads per week has climbed roughly **35 %** since 2010/11, total onion acreage in the region has expanded by only about **15 %**. In short, storage and efficiency—not just more acres—are driving the longer marketing window.
High‑Volume Shipping Trend (Idaho‑Malheur County, 2010–2025)
Weeks each marketing year (Aug 1 – Jul 31) that exceeded 200 truck‑loads of onions (40 000 lb per load). Percent change vs. 2010/11 shown above each bar.
