Vanguard Direct readies for Peruvian grape season

Featuring all seedless grapes, Bakersfield, Calif.-based Vanguard Direct is entering is fourth season growing and sourcing Peruvian grapes for sale in North America, according to Gene Coughlin, vice president of sales.

Showcasing the upcoming deal at The Packer’s West Coast Produce Expo, Coughlin said light volumes of the company’s Peruvian grapes will arrive in the U.S. about the second week of December. The parent company of Vanguard Direct is Vanguard International, based in Issaquah, Wash.

“In late December, we’ll start seeing that ramp up, and the main part of our volume is from late December through early April,” he said.
When the company originally bought the Peruvian vineyards near Ica, the land was planted with the seeded red globe variety. That variety was replaced with premium seedless varieties, he said. Those seedless proprietary varieties grown by Vanguard include International Fruit Genetic varieties Ivory, Sweet Celebration, Sweet Globe and Sweet Favor. Sun World proprietary varieties that Vanguard is licensed to grow include Midnight Beauty, Adora and Autumn Crisp, he said.

“We’ll be able to go through probably mid- to late April on the green seedless and then the red seedless would usually wind up around the first or second week of April,” he said.

Volume of the firm’s Peruvian grapes is expected to grow significantly as vines mature, he said. Peruvian grapes come to the U.S. with several packaging options, including pouch bags and clamshells, he said.