Sun World International, a global fruit breeder, licensor and marketer known for grape brands like Autumncrisp, Ruby Rush and Midnight Beauty, recently welcomed more than 200 licensed growers and partners to its Center for Innovation in Wasco, Calif., for two field days — one in July focused on early-season grape varieties and second on Aug. 21, focused on late-season grape varieties.
“We had a combination of licensed growers, marketers, importers and nurseries, and with that, we’re really capturing the majority of the supply chain from breeding all the way to the folks that are getting that last mile to retail,” Jen Sanchez, vice president of marketing at Sun World International, told The Packer.
Sun World says the field days offer an in-field look at the company’s latest developments, providing partners with updates on planting trends, performance insights, and shared goals around flavor, sustainability, and market leadership.
Currently, Sun World has growers and marketers in 17 countries, with additional countries to come, notes Sanchez, who says the company’s field days attract licensees from almost all of those countries.
“It’s an amazing opportunity, not just for them to come out and see what’s commercial right now, but also to see what’s next for them. What are we bringing to the table? What’s going to be available in a year, two years, five years,” says Sanchez.
This look at what’s next is crucial, as the breeding process from the first natural seedling crossing to a commercial grape variety on store shelves can take eight to 10 years, says Sanchez.
“Because it is such a long process, we have to be looking ahead and determining what do we think that it’s going to look like five years from now? What are consumer trends that are emerging right now? How can we stay ahead of that?” says Sanchez. “Because it’s not, ‘Hey, let’s just put a new formulation together, drop it in a can, and we’re good to go.’
“That’s not how this works. It is a long, long process, and we do a lot to ensure that the final product getting to our growers, our marketers, distributors, etc., is going to work for them — not only in the field, but in the market,” she says.
Testing Cultivars With an Edge
The July event spotlighted five early-season pipeline varieties — including Sugrafiftythree, Sugra60 and advanced, yet-to-be-released selections. Bred for early maturity, high yield and post-harvest performance, Sun World says these cultivars give growers an edge in delivering fruit that meets both consumer expectations and production needs.
Sanchez says the testing process for each new variety is rigorous because failure is not an option.
“We do a lot of testing…so that by the time it gets to the grower, and they put that vine in the ground, we know it’s going to succeed because…we know what goes into it for the grower. We know that it’s a massive financial and labor investment,” says Sanchez. “So, we’re not going to gamble our reputation; we’re not going to gamble our growers’ money; and we’re not going to gamble our marketers’ credibility.”
Sanchez says once grape varieties are planted, Sun World’s global technical team offers support and evaluation, helping to troubleshoot any issues its growers may have.
At its Center for Innovation, Sun World has a 140-acre test block, where it can monitor different test stages. Once the fruit gets to the midway point between initial testing and commercialization, that’s when Sun World seeks feedback from retailers, growers and marketers on the characteristics in the field.
Sanchez says Sun World has welcomed nearly two-dozen retailers to its field days in the last two years.
“We’ve really ramped that up, especially with the addition of Elena Hernandez, who’s our director of global marketing insights. She works closely with our marketers as well as our retailers to help connect them and then try and build demand in the market for our brands and support retail to help build that business for them as well,” says Sanchez.
Size and Texture Trends
When it comes to top trends in the grape category, Sanchez says size matters.
“People are really interested in larger berries. There’s still a market, obviously, for the smaller ones, but we are seeing people’s preferences change towards that larger berry,” she says. “It’s that idea of the buzzworthy, Instagram-worthy, ‘holy-cow-these-grapes- are-massive trend.
“But they also have to have good texture and flavor,” she continued. “And while I think there’s something to be said for unique flavors, when you really get down to it, and you talk to consumers, they’re like, ‘I just want a really good grape.’”
Sanchez also says the pace of change in the grape category has accelerated and the excitement level around brands has grown significantly, even in the last several years. She attributes the buzz to brands like Autumncrisp, which she says, “has changed how consumers look at grapes.”
“Consumers are realizing that they can have something better,” she says. “Gone are the days of the squishy, dry looking grapes that don’t really have any flavor. Today, there’s crispness. There’s something unique. The crunch, the juiciness — it’s like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. That’s what we are seeing from consumers.”
Consistency is also key says Sanchez. Consumers need to be able to go the store and find Autumncrisp grapes again and again, she says. Because as consumers repeatedly have a good experience with the brand, they become a repeat purchaser for that retailer.
What Growers Want
On the grower side, trends support the importance of yield.
“We want to make sure that that ground is used most effectively. We want to make sure that growers are getting the bang for their buck, if they’re going to put that vine in the ground,” she says. “They want to have something that’s going to help keep them, their business or their family sustained.”
Sustainability is another driver of Sun World’s grape variety cultivation and the company looks at where growers are being hit hardest when it comes to costs, says Sanchez.
“Everything we can do in terms of [developing varieties that require] less mechanical intervention, a reduced carbon impact, a need for less pesticides, less water — we look at those things that we as a breeding organization can help impact,” says Sanchez.
The company also looks at how grape varieties perform in different climates and recommends varieties that maximize the grower’s resources.
“We also look at varieties that are strong in post-harvest, because we do see a lot of product moving around the world,” says Sanchez. “There are now grapes available pretty much every day of the year. And the way that Sun World approaches this is to look for varieties that can help us achieve that year-round availability.”
During the field tours, Sun World received great feedback on some of its new varieties, says Sanchez. “I think looking at the horizon, there’s a lot of opportunity. I think there’s a lot of excitement, and I think that’s the best part of weeks like this, we’re able to bring people in where they can see what’s coming, and then we can help build — obviously excitement, but I think also confidence. I think it’s about building grower confidence that they’re making the right choice about what they’re putting in the ground.”
Sun World says its field day events are more than a look at what’s next in grapes, they’re a celebration of the growers, marketers and visionaries driving the future of fresh produce across the globe.
