Buzz builds for new late-season grape
Buzz builds for new late-season grape
Its harvest is some three months away, but a new late-season green seedless table grape called Pristine is creating a stir.
Pristine was developed by Delano, CA-based Anton Caratan & Son after more than 20 years and more than 225,000 crossbreeds. The result is a new late variety that produces large, crispy grapes that have characteristics retailers covet, including long shelf life.
Anton Caratan & Son has granted a license to Four Star Sales Inc. and Delano Farms -- both based in Delano -- to grow and market Pristine in the United States, and has licensed Visalia, CA-based Sun Fresh International's parent company to grow and market the variety exclusively outside the continental United States. Anton Caratan & Son will continue to grow, expand and market its Pristine acreage through Sun Fresh International.
Darrel Fulmer, owner of Sun Fresh International, said that Sun Fresh has a long-term agreement to market fruit grown on Caratan property. The Pristine grape harvest is scheduled to start Sept. 17 and run through the week of Oct. 22.
Mr. Fulmer said that retailers that have had the opportunity to test market the Pristine variety "are excited about it."
The berry is different from other table grape variety, Mr. Fulmer said. For starters, the taste profile -- starting with a sweet vanilla streak and ending with a zesty Granny Smith apple finish -- is unique.
"The berry's size is so large that sometimes you have to cut the grape for kids," Mr. Fulmer said. Two key selling points for retailers are the berry's shelf life and holding ability, he said.
"Retailers can buy late, seedless grapes and have the product in stores and not have to be concerned about discoloration," Mr. Fulmer said. "It has a longer shelf life than late-season Thompsons."
This year, Sun Fresh will provide the Pristine grapes "to a few select retailers" and will ship some to Asia and South America. England likely will receive some of the Pristine as well, Mr. Fulmer said.
"By 2008, [Sun Fresh will] be close to 1 million boxes" of Pristine, Mr. Fulmer said. "By 2009, it could be 2 [million] to 3 million boxes."
Pristine was developed by Delano, CA-based Anton Caratan & Son after more than 20 years and more than 225,000 crossbreeds. The result is a new late variety that produces large, crispy grapes that have characteristics retailers covet, including long shelf life.
Anton Caratan & Son has granted a license to Four Star Sales Inc. and Delano Farms -- both based in Delano -- to grow and market Pristine in the United States, and has licensed Visalia, CA-based Sun Fresh International's parent company to grow and market the variety exclusively outside the continental United States. Anton Caratan & Son will continue to grow, expand and market its Pristine acreage through Sun Fresh International.
Darrel Fulmer, owner of Sun Fresh International, said that Sun Fresh has a long-term agreement to market fruit grown on Caratan property. The Pristine grape harvest is scheduled to start Sept. 17 and run through the week of Oct. 22.
Mr. Fulmer said that retailers that have had the opportunity to test market the Pristine variety "are excited about it."
The berry is different from other table grape variety, Mr. Fulmer said. For starters, the taste profile -- starting with a sweet vanilla streak and ending with a zesty Granny Smith apple finish -- is unique.
"The berry's size is so large that sometimes you have to cut the grape for kids," Mr. Fulmer said. Two key selling points for retailers are the berry's shelf life and holding ability, he said.
"Retailers can buy late, seedless grapes and have the product in stores and not have to be concerned about discoloration," Mr. Fulmer said. "It has a longer shelf life than late-season Thompsons."
This year, Sun Fresh will provide the Pristine grapes "to a few select retailers" and will ship some to Asia and South America. England likely will receive some of the Pristine as well, Mr. Fulmer said.
"By 2008, [Sun Fresh will] be close to 1 million boxes" of Pristine, Mr. Fulmer said. "By 2009, it could be 2 [million] to 3 million boxes."
