Oppy Goes Full Steam Ahead With California Table Grape Harvest; Marc Serpa Discusses
VISALIA, CA - Innovation is the guiding light behind Oppy’s table grape strategies this season, as the supplier is prepping for a high-volume season with preferred varieties. With the San Joaquin Valley grape harvest underway, the supplier is anticipating a 20 percent boost in California grapes over last year, including a wide array of new and beloved varieties.
“This is an exciting year for our grape category as a whole,” said Marc Serpa, Director of Domestic Grapes. “We’re strengthening our California program through innovation and increased volume. With depth in both domestic and overseas supply, we can now deliver high-quality, flavor-forward grapes in volume, all year long.”
The fresh fruit purveyor will be marketing multiple new varieties this season, including Krissy, Magenta, Timco, Allison, Ivory, and Great Greens.
“We’re looking forward to an excellent season, from starting in mid-July and carrying through to mid-December,” Serpa said. “Our sales and business development teams are excited to deliver grapes with consistent sizing, high flavor, and great crunch, assuring retail programs with strength and robustness.”
As it preps for a successful table grape season, Oppy is also laying the groundwork for future development in the San Joaquin Valley through agriculture technology and innovation. With a focus on labor savings and yield estimation, the company currently has new trials underway with Bloomfield Robotics’ proprietary FLASH camera.
The camera collects data to be processed through deep learning AI to forecast yield down to the cluster level, informing decisions and enhancing the performance and health of every plant, according to a press release. Successful shelf-life extension trials were done in 2021.
As the supplier continues to harness industry-leading technologies while bringing high-quality table grapes to market, AndNowUKnow will be here to report.