Bakersfield, Calif.-based Sun World International kicked off the 2025 grape season with its newest proprietary variety, Sugrafiftythree, marketed in the Ruby Rush brand. This early-season red seedless grape — named for its color, crispness and sweetness — has seen strong early adoption across the table grapes sector, according to the company.
“Sugrafiftythree, as Ruby Rush, isn’t just another early-season option — it’s a new benchmark,” Pablo Ramirez, vice president of licensing at Sun World International, said in a news release. “This season, Sugrafiftythree is helping us meet the market earlier and sets a new standard for early-season fruit. Growers and retailers alike are seeing firsthand how Ruby Rush delivers on the color, flavor and crunch that consumers crave, while offering earlier harvest windows, stronger margins and new category excitement.”
Sugrafiftythree’s standout attributes — early availability, natural coloring, high yield potential and consumer appeal — are filling a gap left by traditional varieties that often struggle with coloration and consistency, the company said. The variety has been the fastest to advance through commercialization in Sun World’s history, it added.
Now cultivated in more than 10 countries, Sugrafiftythree is continuing to expand. With this increased production on the horizon, Sun World said it remains focused on supporting licensees and ensuring wider market availability in the Ruby Rush brand to engage and grow consumer interest in the coming seasons.
