Sun World grape expo draws growers from around the world
Sun World grape expo draws growers from around the world
BAKERSFIELD, CA -- More than 100 grape growers and marketers from 14 countries around the world converged here July 29-31 for Sun World International's second Table Grape Producer Expo.
The first such event was held five years ago.
Sun World, headquartered here, is a grower, shipper, imported and marketer of table grapes, tree fruit, citrus and other produce items, with table grapes accounting for nearly 60 percent of the company's own California production. Several of the grape varieties grown by Sun World were developed in the company's breeding program, including Sugraone, a green seedless variety that has become widely planted in the industry and that is marketed by Sun World under the trade name "Superior Seedless."
Sun World licenses several of its patented premium table grape cultivars to growers in various countries under what Johan Jooste, vice president of international licensing for Sun World, described during the event as a "managed production" program.
The program's objective is to provide a "continuous global supply of specific branded products" with consistent quality 52 weeks out of the year "to supermarkets at the top end of the scale" in North America, Europe and Asia. "We have premium varieties, and we want to put them in premium markets for premium returns, but always taking care not to oversupply," Mr. Jooste told The Produce News July 29.
Sun World is currently marketing seven proprietary varieties of grapes in the United States, he said. Among them are Sugrathirteen, a black seedless variety marketed under the "Midnight Beauty" brand, and Sugranineteen, a red seedless variety marketed under the "Scarlotta" brand. Sun World has planted both varieties on a significant scale in California, and both are being marketed in the United States to "a well-established clientele."
"We are not progressed that far in the U.K., Europe and Asia," he said. "This is about rolling out these varieties in a disciplined way into the marketplace."
All seven of the proprietary varieties that Sun World is currently marketing in the United States "have been exported to other licensing countries Sun World operates in," he said. Some of the varieties are in quarantine, some are in the testing phase, and some are already in commercial production in those countries.
The countries in which Sun World currently has licensed growers are Australia, Chile, Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere, and Spain, Italy and Israel in the Northern Hemisphere, he said.
In Sun World's global managed production program, he said, "we try to define the demand for specific varieties or categories of varieties in the market" and manage production to meet that demand, with appropriate adjustments in production being made as demand grows.
Michael Striem, a grape breeder at the Sun World variety development center in Bakersfield, reviewed the history of the company's breeding program and talked about the global marketing opportunities for some of the cultivars that have come out of the program as well as several that are still in the evaluation phase. Among the factors considered in selecting varieties for commercial production are the vigor and quality of the fruit, berry size, sugars, eating quality and storage ability, he said.
Mike Aiton, senior vice president of sales, gave a presentation on the company's U.S. marketing programs.
Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission, presented an overview of the California table grape industry and the commission's domestic and global marketing programs.
A panel of nine growers and marketers from various countries discussed "competitive strategies in grape production and marketing." Much of the discussion focused on the importance of all grapes in the program, regardless of where they are grown, meeting optimum quality standards, and how best to assure that consistency.
The first such event was held five years ago.
Sun World, headquartered here, is a grower, shipper, imported and marketer of table grapes, tree fruit, citrus and other produce items, with table grapes accounting for nearly 60 percent of the company's own California production. Several of the grape varieties grown by Sun World were developed in the company's breeding program, including Sugraone, a green seedless variety that has become widely planted in the industry and that is marketed by Sun World under the trade name "Superior Seedless."
Sun World licenses several of its patented premium table grape cultivars to growers in various countries under what Johan Jooste, vice president of international licensing for Sun World, described during the event as a "managed production" program.
The program's objective is to provide a "continuous global supply of specific branded products" with consistent quality 52 weeks out of the year "to supermarkets at the top end of the scale" in North America, Europe and Asia. "We have premium varieties, and we want to put them in premium markets for premium returns, but always taking care not to oversupply," Mr. Jooste told The Produce News July 29.
Sun World is currently marketing seven proprietary varieties of grapes in the United States, he said. Among them are Sugrathirteen, a black seedless variety marketed under the "Midnight Beauty" brand, and Sugranineteen, a red seedless variety marketed under the "Scarlotta" brand. Sun World has planted both varieties on a significant scale in California, and both are being marketed in the United States to "a well-established clientele."
"We are not progressed that far in the U.K., Europe and Asia," he said. "This is about rolling out these varieties in a disciplined way into the marketplace."
All seven of the proprietary varieties that Sun World is currently marketing in the United States "have been exported to other licensing countries Sun World operates in," he said. Some of the varieties are in quarantine, some are in the testing phase, and some are already in commercial production in those countries.
The countries in which Sun World currently has licensed growers are Australia, Chile, Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere, and Spain, Italy and Israel in the Northern Hemisphere, he said.
In Sun World's global managed production program, he said, "we try to define the demand for specific varieties or categories of varieties in the market" and manage production to meet that demand, with appropriate adjustments in production being made as demand grows.
Michael Striem, a grape breeder at the Sun World variety development center in Bakersfield, reviewed the history of the company's breeding program and talked about the global marketing opportunities for some of the cultivars that have come out of the program as well as several that are still in the evaluation phase. Among the factors considered in selecting varieties for commercial production are the vigor and quality of the fruit, berry size, sugars, eating quality and storage ability, he said.
Mike Aiton, senior vice president of sales, gave a presentation on the company's U.S. marketing programs.
Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission, presented an overview of the California table grape industry and the commission's domestic and global marketing programs.
A panel of nine growers and marketers from various countries discussed "competitive strategies in grape production and marketing." Much of the discussion focused on the importance of all grapes in the program, regardless of where they are grown, meeting optimum quality standards, and how best to assure that consistency.
