With the change in weather, Henk Vlaeminck of Van Dijk Foods sees that there is still good demand for grapes on the market. "Every week they get more expensive. We are now fully into the Italy season and although they are very good quality, they are not having a top season there in terms of volume," the Flemish importer explains.
It means, says Henk, that there could still be a slight shortage in the market for the coming period. "Because of the dry and hot weather, they therefore have fewer volumes in Italy than in other years. In addition, the overseas fruit from Peru is now on the water, but it will be some time before these are available. We expect some supply in about three weeks, but for the really good quality we will have to think about early December anyway."
Henk is uncertain whether there will be sufficient volume coming in. "Normally, we should see a bit more coming from Peru this season, but it's complicated because it doesn't always correlate with a good or bad growing season in Peru. Decisions are also made regarding whether to send grapes to Europe or other continents. If Europe had good prices last year, more would be sent here; however, if the United States had better prices, more would go that way. In that respect, it remains uncertain, and for now, we will have to make do with Italian grapes."
To address this, Van Dijk Foods collaborates with Agricoper, which markets its white and red varieties under the Lavinia brand. "They specialize in premium varieties, such as Autumn Crisp, Allison, and Sweet Globe. These are truly wonders of nature, if I may say so. They are also varieties that resonate well with consumers. Seedless varieties, in particular, are selling better every year. This trend, however, has somewhat affected the seeded varieties, for which we see a drastic decline in sales each year."
When asked if seeded grapes will soon disappear entirely from the market, Henk sees that as a distinct possibility for the future. "It may not happen in the near term, but I believe there is certainly a chance in the long run. Generations change, and people are becoming accustomed to different tastes and textures. When I was younger, I preferred yellow, soft grapes. Nowadays, everyone wants crunchy, green grapes. This preference is passed down from generation to generation and is simply a matter of habituation."
Sweet Celebration
"This trend is also evident in the varieties with and without seeds," he continues. "When I was younger, there was already a bit of emphasis on being cautious about seeds. Over the years, this has become more of a given. People today are growing up with seedless grapes, which have become the standard. If you look at the younger generation, they have no idea that grapes naturally contain seeds. This is similar to how young people have become accustomed to always having their phones at hand or, in our industry, having fruit available all year round. They have never experienced a winter when grapes or strawberries weren't available.
This is precisely what we're seeing now with seedless grapes. It has become so commonplace that everyone buys them without thinking. It certainly helps that varieties like Autumn Crisp are now true jumbo grapes—almost the size of small plums. Their popularity continues to grow each year, and I don't expect that to change."
For more information:
Henk Vlaeminck
Van Dijk Foods
Kempenarestraat 50
2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
+32 15 55 65 61
[email protected]
www.vandijkfoods.be