BAKERSFIELD, CA - Retail excitement is building again this year, as the California table grape season quickly approaches. With growth across the category and partnerships to respond to increased retail demand for premium fruit from the Golden State, Anthony Vineyards is making strides to evolve its already popular portfolio.

With the season kick-off slated for May in Coachella, California, Sales Manager John Harley joins me to share the latest and greatest developments at Anthony Vineyards and what retailers can expect through the spring, summer, and fall.

“This year we have initiated a marketing and distribution agreement with International Fruit Genetics (IFG) to expand our offerings and strategically position the company to further diversify both our services and retail offerings,” John shares. “Under the agreement we can now sell and market IFG varieties with one of the company’s largest growers, Fabbri Ag Investments, located in Bakersfield, California.”

Fabbri Ag Investments has become one of the largest growers of IFG varieties. With farms that stretch from the Arvin area and south of Bakersfield, all the way through Ducor, California, IFG has spent years focusing on creating table grape varieties to fill unmet consumer demands and retail needs. This partnership will allow Anthony Vineyards to further solidify the company as a one-stop-shop for both conventional and organic table grape varieties.

This year, Anthony Vineyards will be marketing and distributing IFG’s conventional Sweet Sapphire®, Jack’s Salute®, Sweet Globe®, and Sweet Jubilee® varieties. On the table for next year are the Candy Dream® and Candy Hearts® to round out a full expansion of the company’s portfolio. All varieties present high-flavor profiles to respond to the retail demand for both quality and a better eating experience. The four new varieties for 2017 will be available during the middle to end of July and the first part of August, and will be harvested through October.

Here are some quick attributes of this year’s IFG varieties from Anthony Vineyards:

• Sweet Sapphire®–Harvested in late August, with medium to large bunch size, elongated tubular with dimpled end, and seedless. Presents a crisp, crunchy, sweet (brix 19-21) profile and well-balanced flavor.
• Jack’s Salute®–Harvested in mid-late September, with large bunch size, oval and elongated berry shape, and seedless. Presents a firm to crisp, sweet (brix 19 - 22), low acid profile with fruity and floral flavor.
• Sweet Globe®–Harvested in early September, with large bunch size, large round to oval berry shape, and seedless. Presents a crisp, snappy, sweet (brix 19 - 22), low acid profile and thin skin.
• Sweet Jubilee®–Harvested in Early August, with large bunch size, large oval berry shape, and seeded. Presents a crisp, sweet (brix 19 - 22) profile with firm to crisp texture.

“We are at the leading-edge of these IFG varieties as they have only been in the marketplace for a year or two at most,” John tells me. “From an Anthony Vineyards standpoint, these new varieties help us to complete the range of products that we can market and carry and provide to our customer base.”

It is an exciting time for Anthony Vineyards as this partnership on the conventional side of the category allows the company to continue to develop and invest in its organic program at its own ranches and operations.

“From a development standpoint, we have acreage available to us where we will now focus our organic grape investments,” John says. “Our overall goal is to increase our volume on a yearly basis to prevent potential challenges in the industry from weather and gaps in production and fill the growing demand for Anthony Vineyards grape varieties.”

Primed for growth across the company's portfolio, it is looking to be an exceptionally fruitful year for Anthony Vineyards.

Anthony Vineyards