BRITISH COLUMBIA - Anyone else get excited when they hear the phrase “new grape variety”? I can’t possibly be the only one. Here to amp me—and the industry—up just a little bit more is Oppy’s Bill Poulos, Grape Category Director.

“The South American grape industry, including producers in Chile, is growing new varieties that not only suit the palate of the marketplace but also offer advantages at home,” Bill explains to me.

Currently offering new varieties from Peru, Oppy is looking forward to these emerging varieties out of Chile in the next month. The company will offer the following:

Red Seedless

• Timco: available Mid-February through mid-May

• Allison: available February through April

• Sweet Celebration: available February through April

Green Seedless

• Arra 15: available February through April

“These grapes tend to be larger in size and are more flavorful than traditional varieties because they have higher brix, which makes them popular with our customers and their shoppers,” he says. “Meanwhile, the grape yields tend to be larger than other varieties, creating efficiencies for the grower.”

Bill tells me that timing is also an advantage to these new Chilean varieties because they are harvested later than the grapes they are replacing, increasing the availability of strong, sweet, and juicy grapes in the market come April and May.

“Last year, new varieties accounted for about 10 percent of the grape exports from Chile to the North American market. This year that number could double,” Bill shares. “Oppy looks to keep pace with this proportion, with approximately 600,000 cases of new varieties coming out of Chile.”

Due to Oppy’s impressive variety assortment, its customers are sure to delight consumers with flavorful grapes in the upcoming months.

Oppy