We are delighted by the summer season’s grape bounty. This very special fruit has been a part of human history for thousands of years—early wine production goes back (in what is now modern-day Iran) to at least 9500 BCE! During World War II, American troops were sustained by grapes in the form of raisins. Grapes are delicious, versatile and can be eaten fresh as table grapes, used for juice, beverage sweeteners and wine, or dried into raisins. There are thousands of varieties available in a dazzling array of colors, shapes and sizes. More are being developed all the time! More simply, most grape varieties can be categorized as red, green, or black, depending on skin color.   

Fun Fact: It takes approximately 90 pounds of grapes to produce 5 gallons of wine or 25 bottles. That equates to more than 3.5 pounds of grapes per bottle!  

Red grapes come in a plethora of colors–from crimson to deep purple hue, and their flavor profiles can range from sweet and juicy to slightly tart and tangy. One of the key components that make red grapes special is their high concentration of antioxidants, particularly resveratrol.   

Green grapes are renowned for their crisp and refreshing taste. They feature a light green to golden color, even light brown or amber and are typically sweeter than red grapes. Green grapes are a great source of hydration, as they have a high-water content.  

Black grapes are cherished for their intense sweetness and bold flavor. They can range from a deep maroon color to almost jet black, creating an eye-catching addition to any display. Like their red counterparts, black grapes contain resveratrol, making them a heart-friendly option. Less popular in the USA, black skinned grapes are known world-wide as the sweetest of all types.  

Fun Fact: Concord seeded grapes are one of the few fruits native to North America, and are most famous for their iconic ‘grape jelly’ flavor.   

We have a wide assortment of grapes this season including many specialty varieties such as the petite Champagne (AKA Zante Currant), Thomcord (hybrid cross of Thompson Seedless and Concord) and uber-sweet Candy Snap and Mayabelle! Go beyond the familiar green and red seedless (available anywhere and everywhere) and get your customers excited about flavor!   

New & Exciting!

Blueberry: Willow Wind, a Washington-based grower has just started their spectacular late season berries. This family-run farm has the ideal climate for growing delicious blueberries due to cool temperatures at their high elevation in Eastern Washington. Jump on these now! 

California Bartlett Pear: Sweet and juicy with the definitive pear flavor. The green skin turns yellow as it ripens!  Superb!

California Gala Apple: The first of the California apple season. The early “Wildfire” Gala has beautiful color and flavor. These are new crop apples; enjoy ‘em now! 

Hydrangea Flowers: What’s blooming from Thomas Family Farm? Gorgeous mixed blue and pink Hydrangea bouquets! 

New Zealand Queen Apple: Deep red-crimson color with white flesh and fine-grained texture. Crisp, very juicy, moderately sweet with subtle notes of pear and banana, and a light fruit aroma. Cross between a Gala and Splendor. 

Thomcord Grape: Blue-black skin grape combines the deep lushness of Concord grapes with the light sweetness of Thompson grapes. Plump, juicy, seedless and delicious! Available in eco-friendly paper totes from Fruit World.    

Keep an eye out for Concord (Heinke Family) coming mid-August and Hamberg Muscat (Marian Farms) and Bronx Seedless (Lagier Ranch) coming late August! 

Yellow Dragonfruit: Sweeter and juicer than red or pink-skinned varieties. This tropical fruit brings color and exotic flair to summer fruit displays! 

Promotable

Celery: Strong and steady supply and promotable pricing on both 24 and 30 count.

Grape: There is no shortage of colorful options to fill out your grape displays.  Red Seedless and Ivory Green seedless are plentiful; Black are steady. We have a variety of labels and pack types to choose from (totes & pouches)! Talk to your Account Manager for a grape recommendation to suit your needs. 

Hass Avocado: 60 count and 84 count are in good supply from Las Palmalitas Ranch.  

Jalapeno: Hot deal on Rundle Family Farm chili peppers. Supply is plentiful. 

Melon: The time is ripe to be promoting summer melons! Galia, Honeydew, Orange Honeydew, Piel de Sapo, Mini Seedless Watermelon are readily available and taste great. Rundle Family Farms is back with the last shot of Snow Leopard. Bins of Red and Black Seedless Watermelon are still available for pre-order. 

Specialty Mushroom: Specialty mushrooms provide unique flavors, textures, and health benefits making them a standout addition to any dish. We’re seeing promotable pricing on 3-Pound bulk bags of Maitake and Trumpet Royale. Maitake provide a fabulous, forest aroma and a light, crunchy texture. Their amazing smell will draw shoppers in! Trumpet Royales have a wonderful savory flavor, firm, meaty texture, and long shelf life. Elevate your produce offerings with these exotic mushroom options.  

Stonefruit: This is the peak of the season, with lots of stonefruit available at sharp prices. Black plums, pluots, yellow nectarine and yellow peaches are in good supply. Check out our Plum & Pluot Guide! 

Limited

Bell Pepper: Market remains limited; costs are high. 

Blackberry: Availability is expected to improve in a couple weeks. Fingers crossed! 

Bok Choi and Baby Bok Choy 

Bunched Spinach 

Heirloom Tomato: Supply is limited; costs are up due to heat damage this month 

Napa Cabbage 

White Onion: Gapping 

Done for the Season

Apricot 

Grapefruit from B&J Ranch 

Rainier Cherry 

Tangerine 

Merchandising Corner

Grape Merchandising Tips  

Over time, we have seen growing demand for sustainable packing. In response, grape growers are offering more eco-friendly options. A popular packaging option for grapes are paper totes and fiber baskets, which are a great alternative to commonly used plastic pouches or clamshells. Totes keep the grapes fresh and offer the same protection when stacked for display purposes. Paper and fiber can easily be composted or recycled! One suggestion is to offer both plastic and recyclable pack types  and let customers choose what fits their lifestyle best. Here are some tips for displaying all the different sustainable grape options this summer:  

Keep Product Fresh: Grapes will hold up better when kept refrigerated but will hold up just fine for a day or two on a non-refrigerated table. If you are displaying grapes on a non-refrigerated dry table, the product does need to be pulled at the end of the day and stored in the cooler overnight. Cull out any damaged fruit regularly.  

Build a Large Display: Highlight that you are supporting paper totes and build a prominent display featuring all the grapes you carry in eco-friendly paper totes. Create signage on why you are supporting the switch to paper and how your customers can properly dispose of the packaging once they are home.  

Don’t Stack Too High: No matter if you are displaying totes or pouches, never stack your grapes too high. The grapes on the bottom layer can safely withstand the weight of one to two layers of product without getting damaged. Any more layers than that, you risk damaging the grapes on the bottom.  

Diversify: Featuring more variety means more grape sales. It has been proven that the more colors and variety you offer, the more grapes you will sell overall.  Spread the love and buy all colors and flavors of grapes while they are at their peak!