Summary

Essex Laboratories serves its valuable customer base by developing high quality mint oils sourced from both domestic and international growers/distributors. We are pleased to bring you this report, which summarizes general activity and trends that affect our product sourcing program. Information presented reflects cooperative input from growers, partners, and suppliers, and we are very grateful to be able to pass it along.

Domestic Market Activity

Current activity in the domestic mint market is more consistent across growing regions but is still variable by species, so will be reviewed by species in this section.

Peppermint

Peppermint acres continue to be on a slight decline from 2023, for several reasons. First, several years of lower prices due to higher grower held inventory have predictably resulted in acres being shifted to other crops, as held inventory levels have been consumed. While fewer regions are experiencing irrigation restrictions, others are still lacking disease free ground into which peppermint can be rotated.

Inflationary pressure that, at its peak, raised mint input costs 30-50%, has subsided a bit, but labor and the cost of borrowed money for farmers continues to put pressure on mint prices. However, the concurrent weakening of commodities like corn or wheat have re-energized farmer interest in planting mint acres for the future.

Considering all of these factors, current estimates show that conventional peppermint will command $50-54/kg, at least in the short-term. This represents a price softening from 2023, when inflationary values were maximally felt at the grower level. There has also been an increase in planted acres for proprietary peppermints in response to prices, but the ultimate balance between conventional and proprietary mint is yet to be determined.

Native/Scotch Spearmint

Recent waning demand from buyers has pressured growers to reduce planted acres to mitigate rising held volumes. The Spearmint Marketing Order has also reduced saleable percentages (currently <30%) as a continued buffer to price volatility but acreage changes are the most stabilizing price influencers for growers in the region. Overall, there are good spot opportunities to purchase open oil but contract prices are normalized at $41-42/kg to offset higher input costs.

Field Observations

Most Far West mint growing regions did not experience a harsh winter, but snowpack (i.e. moisture) across regions was inconsistent, which could impact available irrigation for some regions. Across Pacific Northwest mint regions, the right combination of sporadic heat but overall cooler than normal early spring conditions have resulted in mint stand development that seems poised to proceed favorably once warmer summer conditions set in. Early harvesting will commence around the end of June, still in line with accommodating the development of a quality second harvest for double cut mint across regions.

Recent concerns among growers regarding input costs and the appeal of easier to grow and more profitable crops have maintained a slight downward trend in planted acres. Risk of limited future supply can be realistically counteracted by:

  1. Price equilibration to normalize economic returns for mint with that for other crops.
  2. Continued shifts to proprietary varieties of mint that offer income competitiveness to growers and yields to mint companies like Essex that allow for mitigation of price increases.

Conclusions

There is always an element of risk involved in mint production, which has potential to impact Essex and its customers. Essex mitigates this risk by doing the following:

  • Working with experienced growers who know how to consistently deliver top quality mint oil with an emphasis on mutual loyalty.
  • Developing and offering unique mint varieties that are unavailable from any other supplier and that can be obtained at a premium price relative to conventional mint.
  • Globally diversifying our sources of raw materials
  • Maintaining a dedicated team of experienced professionals who are committed to delivering excellence to our customers.

It is this combination of traits and actions that makes Essex unique and an ideal partner for your mint oil needs. We are not successful if our customers are not pleased with our products, and we approach our business with this mindset every day.

Matt Fagerness – Purchasing Manager

Teton (Peppermint)
Steens (Peppermint)
Boulder (Peppermint)