Oppy Brings in New Peruvian Grapes to Sweeten Its Program
VANCOUVER, CANADA – As consumers in the U.S. continue to look to grapes to spruce up their winter tables, Oppy has announced new additions to its current program. The company will be importing new varieties from Peru.
Naming these offerings as “a taste of what could be the favorite grapes of the future,” Oppy stated in a press release that at the forefront of its new Peruvian offerings is the red seedless Sweet Celebration.
“Sweet Celebration is about the size of a red globe, without the seeds,” said Bill Poulos, Director of Import Grapes and Stonefruit at Oppy. “They are crisp and sweet, and low in shatter. While they are available early February through mid-to-late March, they may enter the market earlier in the future as the vines mature.”
The Sweet Celebration has just arrived on the East Coast of the U.S., and boasts several appealing qualities. The variety sizes 30-40 percent larger than a typical flame grape, and measures at about 28 millimeters–or over one inch– in circumference. The Sweet Celebration also has an appealing brix of 18-21.
Additionally, Oppy has offered black seeded Sweet Jubilee and green seedless Sweet Globes in recent weeks as part of its lineup. The marketer is also looking to include the following:
- Red seedless Jack’s Salute
- Black seedless Candy Dreams and Sweet Favors
- Green seedless Sugar Crisp
- White seedless Cotton Candy and Arra 15
“We’re eager to play a key role in partnering with our growers gain a foothold for new varieties here,” Poulos said. “Retailers are interested in trying the new types and seeing how they stack up alongside the current variety mix.”
Growers in Peru have made great strides in developing grape varieties in recent years, Poulos added. With Chile’s well-established and new variety programs to add to Peru’s, the programs can elevate the presence of new grape flavors and other preferred eating characteristics during the import season.
Before the end of the first quarter, Oppy plans to bring in additional trial varieties from Chile.
What’s next for the grape category, as the import season continues? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
