Nyssa, OR-based Owyhee Produce announced on March 3 its red sweet onion dubbed “Wicked Sweet ™” is now available, adding to the operation’s year-round onion program as it is launched into 141 U.S. retail outlets.
“The demand for tearless sweet onions is here,” said Owyhee Produce Chief Marketing Officer Blake Branen. “Sweet onions in the United States are a popular choice for many consumers, and I am proud to be part of the onion world that is developing the growth of this onion category. Our Wicked Sweet is a true, tearless sweet red onion that doesn’t sacrifice flavor or quality.”
He continued, “We love the look of this onion. Its flat, squatty appearance is traditional to most import sweets, and the color is beautiful shades of rose gold with defined pink layers. Wicked Sweet is a welcome addition to our year-round onion program, and we are excited it is onion is getting into the hands of more consumers across the country. It’s really worth eating!”
Branen also said that after growing its Wicked Sweet onions for three successful test years on their Idaho/Oregon farmland, Owyhee Produce decided this year’s increase in acreage made the cut to be blended seamlessly into its sweet onion program.
Branen said that by harvesting the onions in early October and placing them in cold storage, sugar levels are increased while the pungent bite, or pyruvic level, decreases. He explained that not only does this “make every designated onion chopper’s job easy, but the sweet onion flavor also makes this staple vegetable palatable with no lingering bad breath.”
“I bit into the onion like an apple,” said Kristopher Ott, owner and chef of Chop Shop BBQ in Caldwell, ID. Ott said that without hesitation he chopped it up and added it to his Valentine’s Day Special dish. “These tearless red onions are fantastic!” he said. “The lovely, sweet flavor is great for grilling or just shaved raw in a sandwich.”
A meeting with Owyhee Produce four years ago convinced onion hybrid developer Alastair Findlay that the Treasure Valley grower/packer/shipper is a perfect partner to produce the sweet onions in the U.S. Branen said the timing also worked out well for Owyhee Produce as its sweet yellow onion program picked up interest.
“We visited the Owyhee Produce stand at the 2017 PMA show and were immediately impressed with the zeal for innovation,” Findlay said. “Their family farm grows a range of onions. Their Idaho/Oregon soil is perfect for developing a completely original sweet onion from our onion seed.” Wicked Sweets are available from December through April and are currently packed in 2# and 3# mesh consumer bags. For more information, contact blake@owyheeproduce.com or call 541-610-0410.
