Since 1989, the company Torremesa, from Cadiz, Spain, has been specialized in the production of table grapes on its farm on the Atlantic coast, located between the municipalities of Rota and Chipiona, which makes it one of the earliest producers in Europe.
"We are just starting the table grape season. The quality this year is spectacular because the weather conditions have been ideal for the production and ripening of the grapes. We've had predominantly westerly winds for almost the entire last month and a half, which are cooler and help the fruit ripen at its own pace," says Cristóbal Díaz. "Above all, the temperature contrast between day and night during the month of June has been really good for the red grapes and allowed them to have more color."
"The sizes this year are also really good. We have already started with our Victoria grapes with XXL sizes. In Torremesa, in fact, we usually obtain one of the best Victoria grapes on the market," he says. "We have already started harvesting the seedless black variety Sweet Bond, this week we are starting with the strawberry-flavored grape Candy Snaps, and at the end of July we will start with the Sweet Globe variety."
"Without a doubt, seedless grapes are still the trendiest, but seeded grapes, when properly handled, also have their niche. The more traditional varieties that have always been there, such as the Victoria, are still appreciated and consumed and there's a very interesting market for them."
Torremesa sells its table grapes on the domestic market and also exports to the Netherlands, Germany, France, Scandinavia and the UK, "where the Spanish product is highly appreciated." They work with both supermarket chains and traditional wholesale markets, including retailer Mercadona or Mercamadrid, the most important fresh food distribution, marketing, processing and logistics platform in Spain.
As far as prices are concerned, "right now they stand at good levels," says Cristóbal. "I also think that, given the quality we are delivering, we should be able to continue obtaining good prices."
For more information:
Torremesa
Carretera Munive, km. 7
11520 Rota, Cádiz, Spain
P.O. Box 231
11540 Sanlúcar de Bda, Spain
Tel.: +34 647 95 38 54
[email protected]
http://torremesa.com