LOS ANGELES, CA - I predict your backyard table this year will be laden with grilled specialties, fizzy drinks, and the pièce de résistance: table grapes of all colors. Why do I know this? Because summer’s coming, and she’s bringing a bounty from the vineyards. I sat with Fernando Soberanes, Grape Division Manager, to get a scoop on what Giumarra Companies is bringing to retail shelves.

“We are currently in our Mexican grape program, which runs from mid-May to July. Our established family of growers ensures consistent supply, and this season is looking great,” Fernando says. “The program began with our premium Early Sweet™ green seedless grapes, followed by the introduction of our ARRA Honey Pop® green seedless grapes in early June. Honey Pop is an exciting variety exclusive to Giumarra, as we sell 100 percent of the current Sonoran production. We have a wide selection of high-quality new grape varieties, and they’re available throughout the year.”

The cool temperatures in Sonora have created ideal conditions for high-quality grapes throughout the season. This year’s Mexican grape program will have increased volume, as the industry is expecting to harvest over 21 million boxes. With most grape harvests starting May 28 and heavier volumes arriving in mid-June, there will be promotional opportunities galore in-store.

By then, what varieties will we see? I hear you ask. Well, Giumarra will have just started its Summer Royal black seedless grape harvest. Mid-late season varieties, such as ARRA Sugar Drop® green seedless and ARRA Passion Fire® red seedless grapes, become available starting in June.

“Giumarra has several years of experience producing these varieties, and we are particularly enthusiastic about their performance in the market this year,” continues Fernando. “We’ll conclude the Mexican season with the finest grapes from our latest ranch. These late-season grapes are allowed to naturally mature on the vine, resulting in exceptional flavor in each berry.”

The grower maintains optimal inventory levels and facilitates efficient product movement to ensure great quality. One potential limiting factor for growers is labor availability, which may impact their ability to harvest all the grapes on time. However, retail promotions play a crucial role in ensuring a successful season for the grape industry this year.

As such, retailers should heavily promote grapes starting in June, as availability is expected until July 15, allowing for a seamless transition into Giumarra’s California grape deal, which is also starting later than usual this year.

To help with promotions, Giumarra provides customized services for retailers with a range of pack styles to meet specific requirements and clear, high-graphic bags for packaging. In addition, Giumarra offers point-of-sale merchandising materials and social media graphics to assist in promoting seasonal sales programs.

“Retailers can use a combination of in-store and digital marketing to promote grapes to shoppers across a variety of platforms. Shoppers get excited about grapes, and we can work with retailers to share nutrition, flavor, and recipe messaging to encourage purchases,” comments Fernando. “Additionally, our Mexican grape grower is Fair Trade Certified™, making this product ideal for helping retailers reinforce their corporate sustainability initiatives.”

If you’re as excited as I am, I know we’ll have bags of all colors in the same cart. Keep an eye out for ANUK to continue to report.

Giumarra Companies