Atomic Torosian has been in the California table grape industry since he was a young teenager working for a local grower. He has seen his fair share of changes over the years and continuing to remain relevant is an ongoing task.

“We stay the course,” said the president of Fresno, CA-based Crown Jewels Produce Co. “We have partnered with some very good growers over the years and continue to represent them.Jose Carrillo far left, Tom Vasquez middle both of Carrillo Farms in Southwest Fresno and T.A. Heckel of Crown Jewels on Wednesday, July 15, looking at the day’s grape harvest.  Having a year-round program is very important which we do by sourcing from California, Mexico and Peru.  We typically have grapes 11-12 months of the year.”

From California, he markets about one million cartons of grapes during the summer.  “We still have many of the old varieties as well as some of the new ones.  What we don’t have is any proprietary varieties at this time.  We have in the past but right now we have most of the standard varieties.”

Included in that group is the old Thompson Seedless standby. Though that grape has lost much of its acreage to newer varieties, Torosian said it is still a very good eating grape and he has one grower that is sticking with it. “It’s a hard grape to grow and get the size that you can get so much easier with the newer varieties. But this one grower doesn’t want to give up the ship.”

While Torosian gives homage to progress and understands the march toward easier to grow, bigger varieties, he also laments the loss of some of these other grapes.  “It’s unfortunate in some respects, but we do it to ourselves.”

He noted that it is somewhat similar to the apple industry, which has created many new varieties  and made it very difficult to sell a Red Delicious.

Like the others in the industry, Torosian said this year’s crop is about a week to 10 days earlier than normal. “It was brutally warm earlier and now it has been cooler than normal for the last week or two,” he said in mid-July. “That has been good as it has given the vines a chance to rest.”

He is anticipating a good summer season market-wise, as there does not appear to be a lot of still competition for ad promotions.  “The stone fruit crop is lighter than last year and they are getting some good prices.  The cantaloupe market is stronger (than usual) and the cherry deal from the Northwest is winding down rapidly.  I think we will get some good prices all summer and the retailers will be promoting all summer.”

One burgeoning trend that Torosian has noted is a request by several retailers for clear stand-up pouch bags with handles.  A number of shippers have utilized these bags in recent years for the presentation of their brand using high-color graphics.  “We had a couple of retailers request clear bags last year and another one did the same thing this year.  Of course the retailers drive this and we just provide them with what they want.”