BAKERSFIELD, CA - The sign of a well-mastered produce department—if you ask this trade news writer—is a year-round, high-value table grape program. Some of the best cutting-edge companies in our industry are leading the charge to provide just that—weathering the storms of logistics, politics, Mother Nature, and trade. Randy Giumarra is one such leader helping retailers navigate their table grape programs as they build consumer loyalty and lasting relationships.

“The time is now to promote white and black grapes! Peru is finishing its season with better volume from Ica and Chile complementing nicely with earlier production of whites and blacks due to warmer-than-usual temperatures,” Randy, Vice President of Sales, Giumarra Vineyards, tells me. “Within the next few weeks, red seedless will increase in volume and we should then focus on promoting that volume. Even though Chile is forecasting to have a lighter crop with earlier harvest timing, our message to retailers should focus on when the opportunities are to promote grapes rather than sending a unilateral message that grapes are short.”

With Giumarra’s boots on the ground in South America and the team’s quality control measures in place, the company is helping retailers keep premium grapes on their shelves. More importantly, Giumarra is trying to assist with promotional timing.

"Varieties are coming on a little earlier than timing has dictated in the past. Part of our goal is keeping our customers informed so they can take advantage of the opportunities and avoid the delays and shortages that result from promoting imported grapes at the wrong time,” Randy, shares. “Over the next six weeks, there will be opportunities to promote grapes before things tighten up in late March and April and before we hit our stride with Mexican grapes at the beginning of May.”

With grapes hitting the international market, Randy shares that one of the significant hallmarks of this Chilean table grape season, and one that is informing the market as we look toward Chile, is the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China. Apparently, there has been lighter activity in China’s buying behaviors recently with their extended holidays so there’s a chance to see some volume of grapes get diverted from China to the U.S. market.

“Retailers should look to promote specific colors of Chilean table grapes for the next four to six weeks, and we will continue to keep them abreast of the logical options and any other variables that will affect our market,” Randy notes.

For the latest and greatest on the premium table grape category, keep checking back with industry leaders like Giumarra Vineyards and our AndNowUKnow team!

Giumarra Vineyards