The peach has a storied past, originating in China over 4,000 years ago. It was prized in ancient Chinese culture, symbolizing immortality and unity. The fruit’s journey to the West is believed to have occurred via the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that connected the East and West. Traders carried peaches from China through Persia to Europe, where they became known as Persian apples. By the time of the Roman Empire, peaches were a popular and cherished fruit across the Mediterranean.
Our peaches come from the renowned Shandong province in China. Peaches thrive in temperate climates with cold winters and warm, dry summers. They require a chilling period during winter to ensure proper blossoming and fruit development. Shandong’s climate provides these ideal conditions, contributing to the high quality of the peaches grown there. Since the peaches don’t have far to go from the orchards to our factory we are able to freeze them at peak ripeness to ensure top quality product.
We specialize in two main varieties: Yellow Peach and White Peach. Yellow peaches are known for their bright colour and tangy, robust flavour, making them ideal for IQF and drying. White peaches, with their sweet, delicate flavour and tender flesh, are perfect for both fresh consumption, and purees for bakery applications and fillings.
Peaches are further classified as clingstone or freestone, depending on how the flesh adheres to the pit. Clingstone peaches are excellent for processing and canning because their flesh clings tightly to the stone. Freestone peaches, which have flesh that easily separates from the stone, are favoured for eating fresh and for recipes that require sliced peaches.
China leads global peach production, contributing over 60% of the world’s total output, with Shandong being one of its key peach-producing areas. Other top peach-growing regions worldwide include the USA, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Greece. Each of these regions offers the right mix of climate and soil, supporting robust peach production. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, California accounts for an average 80 percent of U.S. output, and nearly 100 percent of peaches for processing. The declining demand for processing peaches has driven the drop in peach production, particularly in Clingstone peaches. Used almost exclusively for processing, volumes of Clingstone have plunged 43 percent in volume.
– China: ~15 million tons annually
– Italy: ~1.5 million tons annually
– Spain: ~1.2 million tons annually
– USA: ~800,000 tons annually (with California producing ~80% of the nation’s peaches)
We are pleased offer a unique apple juice-infused dried peach product, known for its soft mouth-feel and deliciously sweet flavour. This product is ideal for snacking, baking, and adding to trail mixes. For inquiries about our peach products, including our unique apple juice-infused dried peaches, please feel free to reach out. We are dedicated to providing the finest quality peaches from Shandong’s orchards to your business.
