Dayka & Hackett provides grapes 365 days a year
Dayka & Hackett provides grapes 365 days a year
At Dayka & Hackett, there’s excitement all year long, but spring marks a particularly special transition.
“As we move from sourcing grapes in the Southern Hemisphere to the vibrant vineyards of Mexico, a new season of opportunity begins,” said Stephen Fink, vice president of sales and marketing for the Ventura, CA-based company. “During this time, we proudly showcase best-in-class grapes, partnering with exceptional growers in Sonora and Guaymas to deliver outstanding quality and flavor.”
The company’s growers are the foundation of its growth, and these partnerships allow Dayka & Hackett to continue providing high-quality grapes 365 days a year.
“Category management often requires wearing many hats within a company, but the most important role is the strong relationships we have built with our growers around the world over the past 20-plus years,” Fink said. “These relationships, especially those we’ve developed in Mexico, have enabled Dayka & Hackett to connect our growers with major retailers, share their stories of multi-generational farming and consistently deliver best-in-class grapes.”
Dayka & Hackett has successfully adapted to operating as a year-round shipper, staying current with the latest grape varieties throughout the year, including popular favorites like Autumn Crisp and able to adapt to retailers’ needs and private label packaging all year round.
“What we deal with in a given year is hard to define, because every season brings its own unique challenges and opportunities,” Fink said. “No two years are ever the same in this business. The Mexican grapes category consistently faces new challenges, including those presented by mother nature. However, success comes from finding solutions to these challenges while treating our customers’ priorities as our own.”
Dayka & Hackett demonstrates the ability to adapt to continuous changes throughout the season, anticipating and effectively planning for both smooth and difficult transition periods during each grape season.
“We are committed to delivering exceptional service and maintaining a seamless, 365-day supply of premium grapes without interruption,” Fink said. “The key to continued growth lies in building strong partnerships with both our customers and growers. At the same time, we are continuing our aggressive planting of new grape varieties in Caborca.
By the end of 2030, we expect these efforts to result in an increase of more than 1.2 million boxes of new grape varieties.”
For the season ahead—which Fink noted will arrive 8-10 days earlier than last year—he predicts the delivery of some of the newest and most exciting grape varieties to hit the market.
“Right now, Autumn Crisp is in a league of its own,” Fink said. “This year, we expect a slight increase in Autumn Crisp shipments from Mexico. The biggest growth, however, will come from the new variety, Ruby Rush.”
He noted Mexico plays a crucial role in the U.S. grape supply chain and without Mexican grapes, U.S. retailers would face difficulties stocking grapes until California’s harvest begins in early July.
“Essentially, Mexico is the key supplier of grapes from May through mid-July, bridging the gap between southern hemisphere production and California’s harvest season,” Fink said. “There are always challenges we face in our line of work, but for the most part, we are able to find resolutions to the problems this industry presents.”
