“This will be our earliest season start in Hronis’ 69-year history,” said Pete Hronis, vice president of sales and marketing for Hronis Inc. in Delano, CA, a family-owned table grape growing, packing and shipping company, in a written statement to The Produce News June 4. “We are very happy to announce we will begin shipping our grapes 10 days to two weeks earlier than normal this year.”

With the highly favorable weather and growing conditions for table grapes in the Southern San Joaquin Valley this year, “customers can enjoy more of our grapes during the best possible time of year,” he said. “Midsummer is the perfect time to begin enjoying the fruit, especially during barbecues and get-togethers. This year, we expect to ship grapes early enough to market by the Fourth of July.”

Hronis Inc. packs the majority of its shipments in “the extremely popular, eye-catching high graphic handle bags,” according to the statement.

“We are getting measurably higher requests for our two-pound fixed-weight gusset bags. The company has fully integrated client-requested packaging to help accommodate retailers’ needs,” Hronis said in the statement.

“Wherever possible, we are printing variety-specific information — such as the variety name and seasonal availability — instead of generic information on the gusset bags, to help consumers know the varieties they are buying, what flavor to expect, and easily find their favorites in the future,” he added. “For example, customers will know they are getting ‘Princess green seedless table grapes’ and their favorites are available to enjoy August through September. “

Hronis’ varieties lead off with Sugraone green seedless. Other green seedless offerings include Princess, Thompson and Autumn King, which is available through end of the table grape season.

Red seedless varieties are Flame for summer, Scarlet Royal and Sweet Scarlet, available summer to fall, Crimson through the end of the year and a new, yet-to-be-announced variety from fall through January. Red Globe seeded grapes will be available August through December.

The company’s black seedless include Summer Royal, available until September, and Autumn Royal, September through December.

“Retailers are again demanding more of our newer varieties, like Autumn King and Scarlet Royal, and this year we are introducing a new, well-tested, late-season red seedless” variety with a large berry “which will take us through the holidays and well into January, Hronis said in the statement. “This proprietary grape is very sweet and grows in large bunches. Over the next three years, this variety will completely replace our Crimson.”

The quality of this year’s harvest “looks outstanding,” Hronis said, noting that expecting the wonderful growing conditions in the southern San Joaquin Valley this year to continue. Hronis Inc. again anticipates large grape and bunch sizes, and “box shipments will probably be higher than last year’s increased shipments,” Hronis said.

Hronis Inc. uses equipment and systems “to make sure our table grapes are 100 percent, fully PTI-compliant,” Hronis said. “Bar codes on all outgoing boxes give the fruit specific date, lot and grade information.”

Increased volume is expected as the company continues to expand its acreage. All Hronis produce is grown on family-owned land, a tradition held to since the company was founded in 1945.

Recent facility and process updates, including additional wrapping machines, squeezes and conveyers, which helped double the shipment volume at Hronis Inc., were further enhanced this year by adding new equipment that will increase pre-cooling capabilities. “The new equipment we have installed cools fresh-picked fruit even more efficiently and keeps us on track with our ‘four hours from order to fresh-picked and shipped-at-store-temperature’ commitment to clients,” said Hronis.