California grapes are coming into their sweet spot of the season. “Retailers have been planning aggressive and large grape promotions because this is the time of year where California grapes really shine and are center stage in the produce department,” says Jim Beagle of Grapery. “Some items like cherries are reaching the end of their season so retailers are ready for that.”
Gum Drop grapes.
For Grapery, its grapes are embarking on peak supplies, a period which should stretch the next 10-12 weeks of the season. (While California starts in late May and goes through January, peak weeks generally begin mid-July and continue through most of December.) Overall, the grower-shipper's supplies have picked up quite a bit in the last week or two and Beagle says there’s steady picking of good quality grapes. “It’s very good berry size this season and it’s a good flavor year so a lot of high-quality fruit from all over California to put in front of consumers,” he says.
What remains to be seen is the effect, if any, of the weekend’s Tropical Storm Hilary. “We had significant rain over virtually all the growing regions which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it’s not something we want to see,” he says, noting that rain can damage ripe grapes and some growers use preventative measures such as covers and fungicide sprays to protect the fruit. “However it’s too early to tell the impact that it will have on the quality and size on this year’s crop. It’s likely to have some impact and it’s going to be a matter of days or a week until we can fully assess,” he says.
Grapery's green Tear Drop grapes.
Harvest continues
That said, it’s anticipated that the rain won’t hold up harvest too much. “Things appear to be drying out quickly. There are also times when the rains don’t do much damage and it could all be completely fine. However it needs to be assessed going forward,” he adds.
Currently, Grapery is shipping its Gum Drop, Tear Drop and Cotton Candy brands of grapes. Its Moon Drops are about to start as well.
Moon Drop grapes.
Meeting these good supplies is good demand for grapes. “Retailers say grape sales are up. There’s a lot of good quality grapes in front of shoppers and they’re responding well, “ he says. That’s leaving pricing slightly better than last year and movement seems to be steady as well--something Beagle foresees continuing in the coming weeks.
For more information:
Jim Beagle
Grapery
Tel: +1-661-387-9300
[email protected]
www.grapery.biz