Boosting Californian grapes

Nomi Karniel-Padan, commercial director at Grapa, explains how the company’s new varietal development is offering enticing options for California’s grape growers

Do you have any recent varietal introductions that you can tell us about, and in particular those that have been adopted by California growers?

Several of our newer introductions are gaining strong interest among California growers, particularly ARRA Honey Pop, ARRA Fire Crunch and ARRA Cherry Crush.

ARRA Honey Pop is the earliest new commercial white variety in the market and has attracted attention for its unique combination of earliness, light honey flavour and crunchy texture, together with the grower friendliness, productivity and shelf life that the industry is looking for. For California growers, the ability to enter the market early with a premium eating experience is especially valuable.

Its growing popularity in Mexico is also creating a valuable supply continuum, helping ensure a smooth transition of premium fruit availability from the Mexican harvest in May and June to the Californian harvest in July. In a year like this, when the season in Mexico ended much earlier than expected, very early varieties help California growers fill the supply gap while ensuring retailers continue to receive fresh domestic grapes.

Today, crunch is one of the most valued characteristics among consumers, and ARRA Fire Crunch continues to stand out thanks to its extra crunchy texture, brilliant red appearance, and strong post-harvest performance. It offers growers a combination of great eating quality, high productivity and strong marketability that brings exactly what the industry has been missing.

ARRA Cherry Crush has attracted much interest for its intense cherry color, balanced flavour profile, long shelf life and resilience in the field. One of its notable characteristics is its ability to maintain quality even during unexpected rain events – an increasingly important consideration as weather patterns become less predictable.

Together, these varieties reflect our focus on combining grower profitability, consumer appeal, and resilience throughout the supply chain.

What qualities or traits are US growers particularly looking for right now?

US growers today are looking for varieties that deliver a combination of agronomic performance, profitability and market recognition.

Production costs and labour availability remain major challenges, so growers increasingly favour varieties that offer high and consistent yields, good fruit size, reduced management complexity, and strong post-harvest performance.

Reliability is critical. Growers want varieties that perform consistently season after season and can generate strong returns with lower production inputs.

The speed from budbreak to packed fruit is also becoming increasingly important. In a rapidly changing market environment, shorter production cycles help reduce exposure to costs and risks while improving profitability.

At the same time, retailers continue to prioritise eating quality, appearance, shelf life and consistency. As a result, growers are seeking varieties that not only perform well in the vineyard but also maintain quality throughout the supply chain and encourage repeat consumer purchases.

Climate resilience is another key factor. Recent seasons have reminded everyone how quickly conditions can change. Just last year, California growers were preparing for rain in the middle of harvest, and we all remember the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Events like these are no longer exceptions. They’re becoming part of farming, and that’s why growers are increasingly looking for varieties that can continue to perform under ever-changing weather challenges while maintaining both yield and fruit quality.

Do you have any upcoming trials in the US, and how many people typically attend?

Every year, we open the fields at our California-based breeding site for our annual field days. The event brings together growers, marketers, retailers, licensees and industry professionals from around the world.

This year from 3-7 August, visitors will have the opportunity to evaluate new selections firsthand, experience commercial plots, and engage directly with our global teams. We offer tailor-made tours designed around each participant’s interests and objectives.

Attendance continues to grow year after year, attracting a significant international audience and reinforcing the event’s position as an important gathering point for the global table grape industry.

We often describe it as a Celebration of Grapeness, where the industry can see firsthand what is coming next in table grapes by Grapa.

What consumer trends are you seeing in terms of what’s proving popular?

Crunch continues to be one of, if not the most important consumer drivers in the grape category. Consumers increasingly associate a firm, crisp texture with freshness and quality, making it a key factor in repeat purchases.

Beyond texture, consumers are looking for grapes that offer a more distinctive eating experience. Varieties with unique flavour, balanced sweetness, excellent shelf life and consistent quality continue to perform well.

We are also seeing a clear growing interest in grapes that deliver something beyond traditional flavour profiles. Consumers are increasingly open to discovering new taste experiences, particularly when those flavours are paired with the crunchy texture and freshness they expect from premium grapes.

Do you see potential to expand the popularity of the grape category further?

Absolutely. We believe there is significant opportunity to continue growing the category.

One of the biggest opportunities lies in delivering a more exciting consumer experience. Over the last decade, breeding has dramatically improved texture, appearance and shelf life. The next stage is combining those qualities with flavour experiences that go beyond traditional expectations.

At Grapa, we believe the next chapter of the grape category is about delivering something consumers have never experienced before. Over recent years, we have developed a new generation of varieties that combine a signature crunch with layered, evolving flavour profiles without compromising the productivity, shelf life, and grower friendliness required for commercial success.

We’re excited to introduce these varieties to the market this year. They have successfully completed both agronomic and market evaluations, receiving outstanding feedback from consumers for their rare combination of flavour and crunch.

Visitors to our California Field Days will also have the opportunity to experience these varieties firsthand and see them in commercial plantings.

While white grapes continue to dominate the category, we believe our red stars represent one of the greatest opportunities for future growth. Our goal isn’t to replace successful white varieties, but to complement them with red grapes that deliver the same exceptional crunch, outstanding eating quality, and commercial performance.

Expanding the range of premium choices is how we believe the category will continue to grow.

At the same time, traits such as earliness, resilience and supply chain reliability help ensure that high-quality grapes remain available throughout the season. Together, these innovations can continue to strengthen the category and create new opportunities for growers, retailers and consumers alike.

Boosting Californian grapes

ARRA Cherry Crush™

ARRA Fire Crunch™

ARRA Passion Fire™

ARRA Fire Kiss™