BERLIN — In the last 10 years, table grapes have undergone one of the most impressive transformations of any category in fresh produce, so much so that it’s hard to imagine there was ever a time that supermarkets offered only two or three choices in the category.
At last week’s Fruit Logistica 2026, fruit breeding companies brought next-level innovation, including Bloom Fresh, which showcased its new Boombites Red Berry Grapes, a Fruit Logistica Innovation Award finalist.
To learn more about the black-skinned grape with a red flesh interior, The Packer sat down with Fiachra Moloney, chief marketing officer for Bloom Fresh.
“Boombites are the product of over a decade of natural breeding, crossing some of the world’s best table grapes with traditional red-flesh winegrapes to give us something that not only eats and tastes like one of the world’s best table grapes but also has this incredible red flesh inside,” says Moloney, who adds, “The quality of grapes keeps getting better and better.”
Not only do Boombites deliver an exceptional eating experience, but they also have an enviable nutritional profile.
“The levels of antioxidants like anthocyanins in Boombites are comparable to those in other superfruit categories, like blueberries, and they’re high in resveratrol, which is associated with red wine,” he says.
Moloney says the benefits of grape skins were recently touted in Vogue magazine in an article that linked the outer skins of red grapes, which are high in the polyphenol resveratrol, to “ageless skin.” When it comes to skin, says Vogue, resveratrol’s ability to protect against free radicals also comes into play, helping to reduce inflammation and improve skin elasticity.
“So, we’re hugely excited about the potential for this new brand — almost a new category — to drive the fresh produce and healthy snacking categories,” says Moloney, who sees Boombites hitting a “sweet spot between grapes and berries.”
Flavor-Forward Grapes Drive Category Growth
New flavor-forward branded grape varieties like Cotton Candy and others are undoubtedly driving consumption, sales and volume growth in the category.
The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2026 report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 consumers nationwide about their produce buying habits, finds that grapes are the No. 3 most purchased fruit in the last 12 months, behind bananas and apples.
Dollar sales of grapes were $5.6 billion in 2025, up 3% over a year ago, and volume sales were up 4%, according to retail sales data from Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh for the 52-week period ending Nov. 2, 2025.
But there’s still plenty of room to grow the branded grape category and increase consumer awareness, says Moloney, who explains that the company is putting a huge emphasis on the Cotton Candy brand in the U.S. through social media and in-store campaigns.
“Surveys show that while only 40% of consumers know about Cotton Candy grapes in the U.S., 80% say, when they try it, that they would buy it again,” he says. “We still see a huge opportunity in flavor grapes in the U.S. They’re an incremental product that doesn’t replace consumption in standard table grapes.”
Bloom Fresh is also eyeing expansion for its Mojito Fresh, another premium grape 10 years in the making that offers herbal, sweet and refreshing notes.
“It’s really important to match up a great eating experience and flavor with branding a consumer can immediately see and understand,” Moloney says. “We see that as one of our key strengths.”
When are Boombites Coming to America?
While at present the only commercial production of Boombites is in Murcia, Spain, Bloom Fresh is encouraged by its trials in other countries including Mexico, the U.S., Peru and Chile.
“Darker fruits are good for you and fit with eating the rainbow,” Moloney says. “We see the U.S. market as a high opportunity for Boombites.”
Moloney says Boombites are expected to hit U.S. shelves nationwide within five years.
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