The launch of a new tomato bred in the bay area to prod more Florida growers into the premium end of the business has taken the market by storm.
A month into the tomato's debut at Publix Super Markets, demand for the flavorful, crimson Tasti-Lee outstrips supply.
Many stores reported a run when news of a new crossbreed first broke. It got worse as some Publix stores now can fill only a fraction of their orders.
Some passionate converts have learned to shop at Publix no later than lunch hour to ensure a tomato selection beyond a handful of the battered and bruised.
"We've never seen a tomato take off like this," said Greg Styer, regional development director of Bejo Seeds, the Dutch company licensed to get Tasti-Lee from lab to market. "There may be shortages or gaps in supply before our Florida growers begin harvesting their first tomato crops Nov. 1." The current crop is from fields in North Carolina and Georgia.
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