UNSPSC 50301502: Ambrosia apples

The variety of apples known as ambrosia apples

UNSPSC 50301502 Ambrosia apples is a Commodity code covering the procurement of fresh apple varieties, specifically Ambrosia cultivars, for consumption in institutional food service settings. State and local governments buy Ambrosia apples primarily through school districts, correctional facilities, mental health centers, and senior services programs as part of broader fresh-produce contracts that support child nutrition, inmate meals, patient care, and community senior programs. The work solicited under this code involves specification of apple varieties by cultivar name, case size, ripeness stage (where applicable per color guides such as Chiquita's standard), delivery frequency (typically weekly or bi-weekly), temperature control requirements, and quality standards including freedom from blemishes, mold, and damage. Issuing bodies include state departments of corrections and mental health, county and city school districts, county governments operating senior centers and regional parks, and state/county health and human services agencies. The mix of jurisdictions is heavily weighted toward school nutrition programs (which constitute the majority of recent activity), with secondary volume from correctional and mental health facility dining, and smaller volumes from municipal senior services and county parks food operations.

Activity under this code concentrates in Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Mississippi, and Florida. Recent solicitations include the Hancock County Board of Education's June 2026 fresh produce RFB for the 2026-27 school year (which explicitly lists Ambrosia apples among 200+ line items), the Madison Metropolitan School District's July 2026 petite bananas RFB and fresh fruit/vegetable snacks RFB (indicating broader produce procurement ecosystems in which Ambrosia apples appear), the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's September 2026 fresh fruit and vegetable bids for the Snyder and Wynne Food Warehouses (due October 14, 2026), the Illinois Department of Corrections' August 2026 fresh produce quote for Joliet Treatment Center (due September 3, 2026, with a small business set-aside), the Dougherty County Board of Education's May 2026 fresh produce sealed bid (due June 16, 2026), and the Bartow County School System's May 2026 local fresh fruits and vegetables RFP (due June 22, 2026, with a 400-mile sourcing requirement). School districts consistently emphasize Buy American provisions, HACCP compliance, delivery to multiple sites within narrow time windows, firm pricing for contract periods (often one school year with renewal options), and insurance requirements of $500,000 to $1 million general liability. Correctional and mental health facilities issue smaller bids with similar quality and regulatory requirements but lower volume thresholds.