LOS ANGELES, CA - Pacific Trellis Fruit Company (PTF), owner of the Dulcinea® Brand, is pleased to announce a long-term joint venture agreement with Desert Ghost, a Hermosillo, Sonora, MX, farming entity owned by the Carrillo family of Caborca. Carrillo also owns UVEX, a large table grape operation located in Caborca. Several years ago, Desert Ghost acquired a ranch in Hermosillo known as Campo La Colorada.

Desert Ghost invested significant capital in developing the land by installing irrigation systems, building cold storage and packing house facilities, offices, and a state-of-the-art pack line for all table grape pack styles, including all types of clam shells. The focus in this ranch has always been on new proprietary varieties that can supply the best quality fruit in the early part of the season. New plantings of Flames, Ivory, Krissy, Midnight Beauty®, Ruby Rush®, and Autumn Crisp® soon followed.

“Over the past 6 years, we have evaluated many varieties and identified the ones that are better suited for our region. In this second phase of our project, we can focus on those cultivars that have proven to perform great,” said Luis Carrillo in the recent release. When the joint venture with PTF was signed earlier this year, Desert Ghost embarked on a massive project to remove the Ivory and Krissy blocks and plant back new vines with Early Sweet, Ruby Rush, and Applause varieties. The rest of the prepared open ground has also been planted with new blocks of Honey Pop, more Ruby Rush, and Early Sweet. “We have a 14-year relationship with Pacific Trellis, and we are thrilled to go into this new phase of the project with a company that shares our commitment to quality, and we look forward to continuing to expand our program,“ added Carillo.

“PTF has had a long-standing relationship with the Carrillo family, and this opportunity provided us with a chance to lay a cornerstone in our Mexican table grape program with an aligned strategic partner,” stated Earl McMenamin, Senior Sales Executive & Category Manager, Mexico & CA Grapes. “We look forward to an exciting future with these new additions to our table grape portfolio,” added McMenamin.

With an existing Mexican grape program that sources 1.5 million boxes from all districts, including Guaymas, Hermosillo, and Caborca, this joint venture is a significant enhancement that will bring PTF’s total program close to two million boxes in three years. The Mexican grape program, along with their large South American and California programs, allows PTF to supply customers with premium table grapes 365 days a year.