Oppy anticipates more peppers, grapes

The Oppenheimer Group, Vancouver, British Columbia, offers retailers a well-rounded organic program in the Divemex brand, with both conventional and organic crops Fair Trade Certified, said Aaron Quon, executive director of greenhouse and Canadian category development.

With the Divemex label, Oppy brings fresh crops to the market year-round by growing in multiple regions, he said. One season already started in August, and that season ends in May.

Volume will continue after May with a new season, and organic peppers from Mexico are expected to show increased volume compared with last season through the end of the year. The company transitioned some conventional pepper crop to organic, he said.

“Organic produce continues to grow as an industry,” he said. 

Marc Serpa, Oppy’s sales manager and director of domestic grapes, said that Oppy will continue to expand organic grapes, bringing in newer varieties such as Early Sweet, Jack Salute and Sweet Celebration from Mexico. 

“2020 was the first year we brought the Ocean Spray grape label to the market — we look forward to bringing more volume in this trusted brand into 2021,” Serpa said. 

He said the company will be expanding its clamshell offerings in the Ocean Spray label.

“We have pruned our (grape) crop in Mexico a week earlier than the past couple of years,” he said. 

“There has been an adequate amount of chill hours so we’re expecting a really good quality crop.”

Oppy will push ad promotions for the month of June, he said.