UNSPSC 50401502: Catanese artichokes

The variety of artichokes known as catanese artichokes

UNSPSC 50401502 Catanese artichokes (Commodity) is narrowly represented in recent state and local procurement activity; the code rarely appears in school nutrition, corrections, and child care food service solicitations that dominate the broader fresh-produce buying landscape. When artichokes do surface, they are typically one line item among dozens in comprehensive produce bids serving institutional meal programs, not standalone category drivers. State and local governments procure fresh produce primarily through school nutrition programs (National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program), corrections departments (USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for children, and institutional cafeteria supply for incarcerated populations), and child care networks. The buying bodies include state departments of criminal justice, county and independent school districts, city and regional school systems, and Head Start agencies. Recent institutional produce solicitations emphasize HACCP compliance, traceability documentation, GAP or equivalent food-safety certification, weekly or twice-weekly delivery, temperature-controlled transport, and compliance with the Buy American Act (7 CFR 210.21(d)). Pricing is typically per-pound, per-case, or unit-based; many jurisdictions apply geographic preferences (sourcing within 50 to 400 miles) or price adjustments tied to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service terminal market reports.

The code shows little recent isolated activity specifically for Catanese artichokes. Instead, artichokes appear as minor components within broader fresh-produce categories in multi-jurisdictional procurements across Georgia, Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Connecticut. Representative recent opportunities include Northside Independent School District (San Antonio, Texas; RFP 2026-048, due May 7, 2026) seeking fresh produce for child nutrition with weekly delivery; Austin Independent School District (RFP 26RFP034, due March 11, 2026) requesting fresh fruits, vegetables, and beverages with emphasis on domestic and Texas-grown sourcing; Dougherty County Board of Education (Georgia, ITB 016-SNS-2027, due June 16, 2026) seeking fresh produce including 40 line items (apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, oranges, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes); and Douglas County School System (Georgia, RFP SN 26-004 via GEC Buying Cooperative, due March 4, 2026) procuring approximately 72 produce line items across two geographic areas representing 30 school districts with an estimated annual spend of $4.4 to $1.1 million. The most recent activity clusters in Georgia and Texas school districts, with secondary concentration in Florida (Hillsborough County Public Schools, Addendum 1, February 26, 2026; $600,000 estimated annual budget for USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program). Commodity-level artichoke procurement remains sporadic; pursue this code only when the issuing body explicitly lists artichokes by variety in the specification sheet or bid attachment, or when bundling into broader fresh-produce-supply relationships is a stated account-building objective.