Grupo Alta announced that Divine Flavor and Sun World International executed an enhanced collaboration agreement for premium table grapes.
Table grape breeder and licenser Sun World International LLC and Divine Flavor, a produce brand representing grape growing operations in Mexico, have reached a strategic collaboration agreement to deliver more premium table grapes to North American markets at strategic times of the year, bolstering volume for key holiday time frames. The agreement will bring more than 3 million boxes of Mexico-grown table grapes to market, supplying South American product from December through May with Sun World’s premium green seedless, AUTUMNCRISP® branded, grapes being the primary focus.
The agreement was signed at Grupo Alta’s Hermosillo, Mexico’s offices where David Marguleas, CEO of Sun World, was joined by Alan Aguirre, president and CEO of Grupo Alta/Divine Flavor, Carlos Bon, VP of sales for Divine Flavor, alongside Petri van de Merwe, global licensing director for Sun World and various other members of the companies. Two of the principal aims of the agreement are to ensure consistent, promotable supplies of AUTUMNCRISP brand grapes are available for North American retailers and to introduce several promising early-ripening varieties for production in Sonora, Mexico.
The agreement will bring more than 3 million boxes of Mexico-grown table grapes to market.
“We are ecstatic about supplying more volume of a grape such as AUTUMNCRISP and expanding its availability at key times of the year,” said Bon. “We anticipate ensuring volume of the mid-to-late season green grape from Christmas through Memorial Day weekend,” he noted.
The agreement will contribute significantly to the South American import deal, but a cornerstone of the agreement also involves Grupo Alta’s newer vineyard in Jalisco, Don Mario, which produces grapes from the end of March to mid-May, as well as various parts of Sonora during the traditional Mexican table grape season.
“Grupo Alta and Sun World share a commitment to innovation, to consistently delight consumers and developing unique growing regions like Jalisco. Together, over the past two decades, we have trialed new fruit varieties, gained insights and have delivered several new Sun World-bred table grapes to customers,” said Marguleas.
The two companies announced plans for replacing older varieties with newer ones, including several red seedless varieties which will eventually replace Flame seedless.
“Divine Flavor and Grupo Alta have excellent relationships with first-class breeders and this gave us the opportunity to trial certain varieties which we believe are the future of the grape industry. AUTUMNCRISP brand grapes have proven to be a winner,” said Bon.
“This agreement is a major milestone,” said Aguirre. “I’m very thankful to know David and we are very grateful he considered Grupo Alta for this opportunity to grow more premium grape varieties which we know will impress retailers and consumers.”
For more information:
Michael DuPuis
Divine Flavor
Tel: +1 (520) 281-8328
mdupuis@divineflavor.com
www.divineflavor.com
https://www.sun-world.com/