Cold weather and rain delay grape season

Grapes from Mexico and California will be arriving a little later than usual this year. Cold weather and lots of rain have delayed growing and harvesting by around a week or longer.

The season for Bari Produce, Fresno, Calif., looks to be one to two weeks behind last year, said company President Justin Bedwell. However, he added, “the extra rain should be very good for all of California summertime agriculture.”

Hronis Inc. in Delano, Calif., has a year-round grape program with fruit coming from Peru (which ends in the early spring), Chile through June, Mexico —which begins in June — and California in July.

This year, weather and production are normal in Peru and Chile, while Mexico appears to be seven to 10 days late, and in California, harvesting typically begins on July 4 but will likely be closer to July 10 this year, says Pete Hronis, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

“We’re just now seeing bunches on the vine,” he told The Packer in early April. “This is an unusual year.”

Divine Flavor, Nogales, Ariz., imports  the majority of its grapes from Mexico, but it brings grapes from Chile into the U.S. too. It recently moved into central Mexico — to Jalisco and a new vineyard, Don Mario.

“It’s unique and special in location,” said Michael DuPuis, quality assurance and public relations coordinator.

The most significant advantage of growing in Jalisco is that growing is year-round, which mostly helps out during the April-May timeframe to supply grapes until the Sonora season begins, he said.

There’s a little overlap in the seasons since the Peru grapes start becoming available in September, when California “is going pretty strong,” DuPuis said, so the company starts getting its shipments at the end of October.

This year, harvest started a little early in Jalisco — around the end of March — whereas it’s usually closer to the first week of April. The season will last until the second week in May, and following that, says DuPuis, the Sonoran season is slightly delayed.

Instead of May 10 or May 14, it “will be slightly pushed back by around six days due to the cold weather,” he said. “When there’s been any abnormal or inclement weather it takes a little patience. Even if there’s a big demand, we’re not going to compromise our reputation or compromise the fruit in any way.”

Going forward, Bedwell is a little concerned with California’s window of marketing grapes.

“Table grapes from Mexico and South American seem to start earlier and last longer, which increases competition,” he said. “It will continue to be important for California growers to market exceptional, quality-oriented grapes and to continue to show the customer why grapes from California are truly the best.”

Ever-expanding variety

American consumers are looking for variety in grapes, but overall, they’re looking for sweetness.

“Consumers want bigger, tastier varieties,” Bedwell said. “We have lots of new varieties coming to the market that meet those specs, so consumers should be happy.”

Bari Produce grows varieties including thompson seedless and crimson seedless, as well as new varieties like Autumn King and Scarlet Royal.

Divine Flavor offers 25 varieties, which “fits a need for all consumers,” DuPuis said, since they offer differing levels of sweetness. He said the varieties Divine Flavor grows, which are largely candy-like types, are what “we see as the future of the industry.”

The company is betting on Autumn Crisp, Sweet Globe and Sweet Celebration.

“We feel very strongly about these types,” DuPuis said. “They’re taking grapes to the next level.”

Other varieties that are strong for the company include Candy Snaps and Candy Dreams.

Hronis offers 17 grape varieties and is working with some nurseries “to continue to evolve and replace the older varieties,” Hronis said. “People want bigger and sweeter grapes now, [and] it takes a few years to find the right formula with these new varieties and create what we’re looking for.”

With just one crop per year, it can take five years to develop a new variety, he said.

Marketing momentum

This spring Hronis has started a marketing campaign touting its new program that offers grapes direct to consumers. Shoppers can order grapes directly through its website and have them delivered the next day, anywhere in the U.S.

“It’s for that consumer who, since COVID, is no longer going to the store as often,” Hronis said, “and I don’t see them going back [to in-person shopping].”

These consumers, he points out, are not concerned about the cost of freight, which is often the most expensive part. He’s been using social media to get the word out about this program.

“It’s going to become another facet of our business,” he said.

Divine Flavor tries to educate its buyers and work with the industry to tell the stories behind its grapes. It does this through its website and social media as well as trade shows and major trade media outlets. The company also shares its story through packaging QR codes. But most importantly, said DuPuis, “is having daily conversations with our retail partners. We give them updates constantly and let them know how things progress every step of the way.”

The California Table Grape Commission in Fresno is also a resource when it comes to marketing grapes grown within the state. Last year it began a California Goodness campaign, showing four videos on its website and social media platforms that highlight California grape growers and farmworkers.

The campaign continues a focus the commission started in 2020, emphasizing “that when retailers choose to stock and promote California grapes and shoppers choose to buy them, they’re supporting the growers and the farm workers and the families in these rural communities,” said Alyson Dias, chief marketing officer. “That is a very large chunk of the messaging withing our campaign.”

This year the campaign will continue in May, at the beginning of the California grape season, and will feature 11 videos, again shown on the commission’s website and social media; they range from 60-90 seconds.

“We filmed what California Goodness means to the growers and the farmworkers,” Dias said.

She said that the stories are heartwarming and show workers’ pride in their jobs and their love for the grapes and the state in which they’re grown. Each video has a story focus, such as family or sustainability, and captures the California spirit.

Beyond the video campaign, the California Table Grape Commission continues to work heavily with influencers, mostly those who focus on health or lifestyle. The commission makes sure these influencers are diverse in gender, age and background, and it wants them to share everyday ideas that are also unique.

Dias said the influencers talk about the health benefits of grapes, how to cook with grapes, and niche subjects such as how to safely consume grapes when living with diabetes.

“We can’t speak to every group of people out there, but influencers have their loyal followers and can create content that resonates with their group of followers,” Dias said.