Organic Grapes Coming Back by Mid-May

Due to import regulations, there are very few organic grapes available in the winter months from offshore sources, but with California’s Coachella Valley heating up the category should be available again around mid-May.

“We think we will have the first organic grapes (of the season) and they will be in good volume,” said John Harley, sales manager of Anthony Vineyards Inc., Bakersfield, CA, noting that there have been virtually no organic grapes available for retailers for the last three to four months. “We expect to be starting flames the week of May 10 – probably toward the end of that week – with green grapes starting two or three days later.”

John Harley, sales manager, Anthony Vineyards Inc.

Anthony Vineyards, which only grows in California and has converted most of its vineyards to organic production, is expecting its spring volume to mirror last year’s production. Harley said the company has been busy adding some of the newer varieties to its organic lineup with this transitioning of varieties causing its volume to remain static this season. It will offer a couple of new varieties as an organic option this year (Timco and Magenta) with three more new organic varieties coming aboard in 2021.

Harley said promotable volume of organic table grapes should be available right after the Memorial Day holiday weekend (May 23-25).

Another Coachella Valley grape grower-shipper, Richard Bagdasarian Inc. Mecca, CA – is pointing toward the last week of May to begin harvesting its organic acreage. President Nick Bozick estimated that about 10 percent of Coachella’s production will be organic and agreed that June will offer great promotable volume. He said the weather has been good this year and he anticipates the crop being like 2019. “We had over four million 18-pound boxes last year and we should have a similar amount this season.”

Anthony Vineyards Timco grapes

Mexico is the big player in the spring grape deal with its 20 million boxes of fruit and is also a significant supplier of organic grapes. However, if that 20 million figure is reached, it will represent a 20 percent decline from last season.

In a recent video news conference, Mexico blamed a freeze in the winter for reducing the size of its crop. In addition, acreage has been pulled (especially the perlette variety), in reaction to last year’s poor marketing conditions. Mexico flooded the United States with huge volume causing a supply exceeds demand situation throughout the spring marketing period for both conventional and organic grapes. Harley remarked that it was virtually impossible to sell the close to 25 million boxes Mexico produced for U.S. consumption last year in a six to eight-week period. In short, the United States just does not consumer that many grapes on a weekly basis.

Perlette grapes

Bakersfield, CA-based Stevco is an importer of both conventional and organic grapes from Mexico in the spring. Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing, agreed that the industry is looking for a better situation this year precisely because of Mexico’s reduction in volume. Stevco is expected to start its organic production in late May and Lane predicted that there would be promotable volume shortly thereafter. “We expect there to be plenty of organic grapes on the market in June,” he said. “There will be plenty of opportunity for promotion in all three colors (red, green and black).”

The big unknown is how quickly the United States will reopen with regard to the Covid-19 situation. “It is unchartered territory,” said Harley. “We just don’t know how consumers and retailers are going to react.”

He said that there are signs that some level of normalcy will return. There is already talk of different states opening and there could be other following suit when fresh grapes hit the retail shelves in mid-May. He noted that grapes profit from the impulse purchase of shoppers who are perusing the supermarket and put a bag in the cart after seeing a nice display. “We may lose that spontaneous purchase if they only shop online,” he said.

Nick Bozick, president, Richard Bagdasarian Inc.

Bozick said he has been talking to his retail customers over the last few months and they seem to be ready to get back to a normal buying and promoting routine. On the plus side, he said the current situation could result in more orders. He said there has been wild swings in consumer buying habits and retailers are reacting. “There should be plenty of production and promotable volume,” he said. “It just depends on how quickly we (the U.S.) come back. Hopefully by the end of May.”

Harley said at least the organic grape industry has the huge benefit of offering a very healthy product to consumers. “Kids are stuck at home, snacking all day long. At least we can offer them a healthy snack.”

He added that Anthony Vineyard will be touting its California grapes, especially to its western customers, promoting the freshness that a California grape can offer over those produced much further away.