REEDLEY, CA - Prepare while others are daydreaming. William Arthur Ward had no time for idleness, and neither does the produce industry. As several points of its season get ready to kick off, Fruit World is preparing and suggests buyers do the same, galvanized by climbing demand.

The company recently announced it is in the process of converting Kyoho vineyards to organic production, expecting to have organic Kyoho grapes available for the 2024 season—an excellent topic to dive into at booth #413 during this week’s Organic Produce Summit (OPS), July 13–14!

"Retail buyers, particularly at specialty and gourmet grocery chains, are responding to consumer interest and placing early orders to lock in supply," Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bianca Kaprielian commented in a release. "No longer just a children’s healthy snack, adults are drawn to the bold flavor profiles of our Kyoho and Thomcord varieties to use in recipes, charcuterie boards, and creative beverages."

Renowned, even prized, for its robust flavor, especially in Asian cultures, the Kyoho grape is a seeded, slip-skin variety with large, round, fragrant berries. Consumers, the company said, are showing a nostalgic preference for full-flavor, aromatic grapes, especially seeded varieties. Even with volumes projected to be up in 2022, demand is expected to exceed supply yet again.

"Place a bowl of Kyohos on the counter, and the room will be filled with an irresistible aroma," said CJ Buxman, Co-Founder and Director of Supply. "And the seeds are an added attraction, with many people eating the crunchy seeds and enjoying the enhanced experience and nutritional benefits."

Conventional Kyoho grapes are available in 8x3 lb clamshells, with additional pack styles available upon request from the team.

Fruit World is also the exclusive marketing partner for organic grape-growing pioneer Pete Wolf’s black, red, and green Heirloom table grapes.

"At 92 years young, Pete Wolf is still tending vines that are at least a dozen years older than he is," Buxman shared. "His fruit is just exquisite, and our long-standing partnership with him epitomizes the essence and mission of our company. We are passionate about working with growers that share our values and vision of keeping family farming thriving into future generations."

And, come the end of the month, the market will welcome the return of Fruit World’s Thomcord grapes, a hybrid-cross of Concord and Thompson Seedless varieties, which are primarily available in 10x2 lb biodegradable and compostable paper totes with bright, colorful, eye-catching graphics.

"Our environmentally friendly packaging and the consumer engagement cards we pack in every tote have proven very popular with consumers," Kaprielian said. "We also can provide Thomcords in 20x1 traditional clamshells, if that better meets buyer needs."

This year, Fruit World anticipates its season to run from late July through October, with promotable volumes available throughout August into early September.

With high-reaching demand, Fruit World team members are encouraging retailers to secure orders early. If you are in Monterey, California, this week for the OPS, be sure to swing by booth #413 on July 14.

Fruit World