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Weekly Market Report | Oct 21

by Bondi Produce on

Welcome to the Bondi Weekly Market Report — your go-to for all the highs & lows of the week.

 

Welcome to the Bondi Weekly Market Report — your go-to for all the highs and lows of the week. 

Hope everyone’s nervous systems have recovered after last night’s absolutely EPIC Game 7 — the Blue Jays punching their ticket to the World Series was the kind of stress test no one needed on a Monday night!

Meanwhile, the stress isn’t just on fans — fields are feeling it too. Brassicas and lettuces remain under heavy pressure, with weather, disease, and transition delays keeping markets tight. 

We’re right in that crossover stretch — summer locals winding down, imports ramping up, and a few late-season Ontario crops still hitting their stride. 

Let's dive in...

📈 What’s Up?: Prices are elevated on lettuces and cauliflower this week as supply remains extremely tight with ongoing weather and INSV pressure.

📉What's Down?: Honeycrisp apples and Brussels sprouts markets are easing as supply rebounds post-Thanksgiving surge.

🍊 New Arrivals: Kumquats and Cookstown’s fall roots lineup are in this week — including their first harvest of Jerusalem artichokes along with mixed beets, red beets, Nantes carrots, and rainbow carrots.

🍅 Finished/Finishing Soon: Local eggplants and zucchini are officially finished for the season. We've transitioned to Mexican and USA crops.

🟥 Red Flags:  A few shorts from last week to note. Details below.

🚨Lettuce & Brassica Market Update: Lettuce and brassica markets are at extreme levels, with tight supply, quality issues, and ongoing weather disruptions. Expect prorates and gaps across  varieties as growers battle rain, insect pressure, and disease heading into transition.

🍊Introducing Black River Juice: Now available at Bondi! 

🧀 Non-Produce Picks of the Week: Mountainoak's Ontario Dutch-style goudas!

🍂 Download Our Fall Planner: Plan your menus with the season’s best — download our Fall Produce Planner.

Market Recap: What's Up/What's Down

📈Price Increases📈

These items have surged in price this week:

  • ICEBERG LETTUCE (2647 & 2655) - Iceberg quality remains fair, but supplies are extremely limited. Rain and INSV continue to pressure yields, and recent wet weather in Yuma is resulting in extremely limited supply. Relief is not expected until mid-November.

  • GREEN LEAF LETTUCE (2611) - Green leaf remains extremely limited with mildew, fringe burn, and light weights reported across fields. Weather in both Salinas and Yuma is adding pressure, so expect prorates and gaps through transition.

  • CAULIFLOWER (2301) - Cauliflower supply remains extremely tight as Salinas growers battle rain, hail, and INSV pressure. Expect limited availability and potential prorates through the end of the month. 

📉Price Decreases📉

These items have dropped in price this week:

  • HONEYCRISP APPLES (1939) - Strong local and Washington supply of quality product resulting in stable pricing.

  • BRUSSELS SPROUTS (2225) - Supplies were tight and pricing spiked leading into Thanksgiving, but markets are now beginning to stabilize as holiday demand eases.

🍂Download Our Fall Planner🍂

To make menu planning easier, we’ve put together our 2025 Fall Produce Planner: your guide to the seasonal highlights landing in our warehouse — and on your menus — from September through December.

Fall Planner-1-1

🍠New Arrivals🍠

Kumquats | Code 4969 & Code 7990

Kumquats are fully edible citrus — sweet skin, tart flesh. Use them thin-sliced for garnish, cooked down into marmalade or compote, candied, or roasted whole with rich meats for acidity and contrast.

Kumquats

 

Cookstown Fall Crops!

First arrival or Jerusalem artichokes from Cookstown, plus their root veg offering is in full swing!

  • Jerusalem Artichokes (AKA Sunchokes) | Code 4534
  • Beet Mix | Code 9019
  • Nantes Carrots | Code 4499
  • Rainbow Carrots | Code 4502
  • Red Beets | Code 4494
  • Blonde Potatoes | Code 4517
Cookstown Green Root Veg

 


🚩Last Week's Shortages🚩

Lettuces & Brassicas Facing Severe Weather and Supply Challenges

  • Extreme conditions continue in Salinas — rain, hail, and INSV are causing major supply shortages across lettuce, romaine, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels. Expect potential prorates and gaps through month-end.

Supply Gap:

  • Baby Leek | Code 3739 — Baby leeks are in a temporary two-week gap due to weather-related quality issues in the growing region.

Last Week's Shorts:

  • Apple Golden Delicious | Code 1906 — No issues moving forward, we've transitioned to new crop with strong supply and excellent quality.
  • Purple & Orange Cauliflower | Code 2312, 2313 & 5436 — Local coloured cauliflower season is wrapping up sooner than expected, with supply tightening. We’ll begin transitioning to U.S./Mexico product in the coming weeks.
  • Kale Baby 3lb | Code 2588 — Supplies remain limited and inconsistent following recent weather stress. Growers have cut orders due to ongoing quality issues. 
  • Lettuce Romaine USA | Code 2696 & 2700 — Critically short supply following heavy storm damage and disease pressure — no meaningful recovery expected until Yuma production begins.
  • Bartlett Pears | Code 3143 — End of local season. We've now transitioned from local to Washington and offshore product — quality should improve.
  • Rapini | Code 3221 — Extremely limited availability due to ongoing weather impacts — our vendor has implemented prorates on all orders.
  • Black Summer Truffle | Code 5302 — Delivery delay,  more arriving later this week.
  • Flowers Petite Mix | Code 11561 — Growth has slowed as the season winds down, resulting in limited availability on Petite Flower Mix.

🍆Finished/Leaving Soon🍆

  • Ontario Fancy & Yellow Zucchini | Codes 9058 & 3351 — Local zucchini season is officially over. We have now transitioned into Mexican & USA crops for the season. Prices will remain elevated for the time being.
  • Ontario Eggplant | Code 2478— Local eggplant season is officially over. We have now transitioned into Mexican & USA crops for the season.

Mountainoak Dutch Gouda

Our team had the chance to visit Mountainoak Cheese last week to see their dairy farm and production facility up close — and wow, there’s some serious cheesemaking talent right here in Ontario.

Made from milk sourced just steps from their cheesemaking floor, Mountainoak’s Dutch-style Goudas could not be more farm-fresh.

A versatile addition to any menu: melt it over a burger, fold it into your mac and cheese, or slice it up for a cheese board. However you use it, you’ll taste the craftsmanship in every bite.

  • Mountainoak Black Truffle 225G Wedge | Code 6166
  • Mountainoak Black Truffle 1/4 Wheel 2.5KG | Code 10654
  • Mountainoak Chili Pepper Gouda 1/4 Wheel 2.5KG | Code 10657
  • Mountainoak Wild Nettle Gouda 1/4 Wheel 2.5KG | Code 10655
  • Mountainoak Farmstead 2Y 1/4 Wheel 2.5KG | Code 10658
  • Mountainoak Gold 225G Wedge | Code 6164
  • Mountainoak Gold 1/4 Wheel 2.5KG | Code 10656
Mountainoak Cheese

 

New to Bondi: Black River Juice

Started in the cherry orchards of Prince Edward County and now proudly made in Mississauga, Black River has been pressing real fruit into glass bottles since 1979.

Clean, consistent, and full of real fruit flavour — no added sugar, no artificial ingredients, no shortcuts. Each blend delivers honest fruit character that holds its own in cocktails, mocktails, and breakfast programs alike.

Shelf-stable, clean-label, and packed in a convenient 12/300 mL format — ideal for brunch menus, beverage pairings, and grab-and-go fridges.

We've added the following SKUs to our catalogue:

  • Orange Juice 12/300ML | Code 11917
  • Grapefruit Juice 12/300ML | Code 11919
  • Mango & Apple 12/300ML | Code 11916
  • Lemonade 12/300ML | Code 11918
Black RIver Juice

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