fruit prices in SF

Hi ya'll... here are my current strategies for getting good fruit prices in SF. feel free to add any strategies that I'm missing...

I live on Nob Hill, but buy most of my fruit from civic center farmers markets because I get very good deals on local stuff. In addition, when produce is on sale at grocery stores, there can also be very good prices i.e. safeway, CALA, wholefoods. Am I missing anything, and, would it be helpful for us to be maintaining some sort of forum for great places to buy certain fruits at certain times... i.e. wholefoods has had a great deal for my favorite mango's - $1 each for the past few weeks, etcetc

-dave v

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rawphael on March 26, 2011 at 5:33pm

I'm sure there are Costco haters on this site but they have a some organic fruit at great prices. Recent finds include rasperries and bluberries at $7 for a double pint and apples. Trader Joes -> 25c / banana. Definately interested in hear what others have to say..

Permalink Reply by dave velardo on April 13, 2011 at 10:21am

note about the dates: you can purchase incredible medjool dates at the civic center farmers market, from an old guy with white hair named JIM. ... 2.50 or $3 per pound... far, far cheaper than any grocery store dates

Permalink Reply by Amber Zuckswert on April 28, 2011 at 5:28pm

alemany farmers market has cheaper dates

Permalink Reply by dave velardo on April 29, 2011 at 2:33am

really, wow, at or less than $2 a pound? usually Jim at civic gives me around $2 or just over $2 a pound when i buy a lot of my favorite medjools.

Permalink Reply by Amber Zuckswert on April 28, 2011 at 5:27pm

Try the wholesale farmers market in Bayview....it's where the grocers buy :D.

Permalink Reply by dave velardo on April 28, 2011 at 5:50pm

BINGO... that's the info i'm talkin about... did not know that. have you been?

Permalink Reply by Michael on May 22, 2011 at 2:38pm

I was going to Earls Organics, which is a wholesaler in the produce market. You can walk in with cash and buy by the case, but only from 10pm to 10am, which is why I haven't been there in a long time.

Permalink Reply by dave velardo on May 22, 2011 at 3:07pm

hi Michael, yea, actually i bought from earls organics last week. pretty good prices, and excellent quality. if you know of a good distributor of cheaper quality non organic produce let me know. i will probably buy mostly from earls, but would like to know if there are places where i could save money on still high quality fruit. i.e. the mexic ataulfo mangos nonorganic have been excellent this year. and, i'm eating the organic ones now, also excellent.

Permalink Reply by veganarchyjess on June 19, 2012 at 3:12pm

I realize it's not S.F. but you can buy conventional and organic produce by the box at both Berkeley Bowl locations in Berkeley. That's where I buy my bananas by the box. Earls is good too but I find getting conventional bananas, mangoes, and whatnot from Berkeley Bowl is more bang for my buck (then again I live in the east bay, so for you it's a ways out).

Permalink Reply by Alex on May 27, 2011 at 6:15pm

That's amazing, thank you.

Permalink Reply by dave velardo on May 28, 2011 at 1:49am

also, i'm in the process of setting up delivery from earls organics - free delivery order minimum is $250. but to set this up you have to sort of know the guy... if anyone wants to do this let me know, or if you go down to their offices you should be able to get it done.

Permalink Reply by John on November 5, 2011 at 4:57pm

Watch my video above for my techniques for getting the best deals at the SF wholesale produce market. Most is non-organic, but certain vendors have organic. Most of the time, the "other vendors" are less expensive than Earls.