Muscadines look to gain awareness

When it comes to marketing the specialty grape of the South, the muscadine, Chris Paulk notes the competition is mostly lack of awareness. “Muscadines are a unique crop,” says Paulk of Wray, Ga.-based Paulk’s Pride, who notes there’s lot a lot of marketing support to push the awareness behind the grape that calls the Southern region home. “There are a few growers in North Carolina but there aren’t a whole lot of people doing what we’re doing. Most people grow it for wine production.” Paulk meanwhile uses the grapes from its 600 acres to produce juices, jellies and supplements.

Appeal is targeted
While this year’s crop is still in its infancy—the vines have budded recently with the hope of blooming in May—Paulk hopes the grapes will grow in appeal to a few specific categories of customers. “It’s been very interesting because it appeals to a more health-conscious customer,” says Paulk. “We’ve had an increasing interest in that and then we’ve also had interest from people looking for locally-grown produce. It’s a very traditional grape in the region.” While most of Paulk’s market is in states such as Georgia, Florida and Carolina, it has extended its appeal to customers from regions such as Atlanta, Texas and even New York.

As far as this year’s crop goes, for now Paulk doesn’t anticipate any crop issues. “The market will be as strong as it’s been before as far as interest in muscadines,” he says. “As long as weather permitting we have a good crop, hopefully all the good weather is behind us. We had a freeze a couple of weeks ago that got the blueberries, but we were spared there. However we don’t need any more cold weather—just good rainfall throughout the summer.”

For more information:
Chris Paulk
Paulk’s Pride
Tel: +1 229.468.7873
info@paulkspride.com
http://www.paulkspride.com/