Market Minute: Grapes transitioning to California vineyards
Market Minute: Grapes transitioning to California vineyards
The Mexican grape deal will be wrapping up earlier this spring. Production will be moving into California vineyards — it has already begun out of Coachella. This shift will be a little over two weeks earlier this season for California grapes to be harvested primarily because of very good growing conditions.
The Coachella region will kick off the new crop California grape production for retailers. The transition continues afterward to the Central California San Joaquin Valley, where volume will pick up rapidly for promotable opportunities throughout the summer months.
The grapes are reported to be of excellent fruit quality, sizing and flavor. And the transportation costs will relax a bit compared to the shipping out of Mexico. The domestic grape supplies will further support retailer ad promoting in the coming weeks ahead.
California grapes will generate tremendous sales volume accompanied by greater gross profit for retailers when merchandising impactful visual displays. Set up large, massive displays of bagged California red and green seedless grapes on an end cap or free-standing fixture at the foot of the produce department to capture customers as they enter the store.
In order to build up your grape category numbers, the California Grape Commission is ready to help retailers with promotional guidelines. Go to https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com for some great education and information.
What do you think? Email me at [email protected].
Ron Pelger is a former director of produce merchandising and procurement for a major supermarket retail chain. He is currently a freelance writer for the produce industry supporting growers, shippers and retailers. He can be contacted at 775/843-2394.
