“We have added production in Great Green and Sweet Globe,” Lane said. “We also have our first production of Bebop. We’re very excited about that. It’s a very, very grape-flavored grape — we’re excited to see how the industry responds to it. There’s not a lot of them planted across the globe.”
Great Green is a mid- to late-season extra-large grape with a sweet neutral flavor and very high fertility, according to developer Special New Fruit Licensing Ltd.
The seedless green Sweet Globe, developed by International Fruit Genetics (IFG), is a mid-season variety with a honey-sweet taste and is known for its high productivity and excellent storage capabilities.
The red seedless Bebop has large, oval berries with a deep pink-red skin, a crisp and firm texture and fruity flavor with a hint of sweetness. Also developed by IFG, the variety has a mid-season harvest start. SNFL, backed by AMFRESH, acquired IFG in 2023, and formed global breeding company Bloom Fresh International.
When it comes to industry trends, plantings of a wave of new branded, high-flavor varieties are outpacing growth of traditional varieties, Lane said.
“That’s pretty much the only type of growth there is (in acreage), the newer, higher-flavor varieties,” he said. “We’ve taken out some of our lower-producing fields and added higher-producing varieties, Bebop being one of them.”
It comes down to what retailers — and by extension, consumers — are seeking, he said.
“The retailers are wanting a better-tasting piece of fruit, a better eating experience,” Lane said. “You know, size does matter, too. The bigger the better. But the biggest thing is to have a good eating experience.”
In mid-May, the San Joaquin Valley deal looked to arrive a few days ahead of a normal July 4-10 harvest start, Lane said, depending on the weeks of weather leading into harvest.
“It’s kind of too early to make a prediction for this year, but as of right now, everything has pretty good bunch counts, everything looks to have a full crop,” he said.
Early this year, Grapeco hired Adriana Akers as sales manager. Previously, she was at Wonderful Citrus for seven years, six of them as an account executive.
“She has a wealth of retail knowledge and background on how to fulfill retailers’ needs,” Lane said. “She’s going to be a great addition for the Grapeco team this year.”
