Divine Flavor adds procurement manager and bolster sales department; Elizabeth Smart rejoins the company

Fresh Fruit Portal: “Sonoran grapes hit fast crescendo” (6/16/2023)

On June 1, Mexican grape shipper Divine Flavor LLC, indicated a huge cold weather-induced gap between its early Jalisco grape deal and the traditional high-volume shipping of Sonora. Prices had been historically high because of unprecedented low supplies.

Grape industry icon John Pandol, Pandol Bros., Delano, CA, on June 16 told FreshFruitPortal.com that he did a Chicago supermarket tuor June 7-8. While some stores had strong grape displays, and Aldi’s apparently made Mexican grapes a loss leader, with prices at $1.49 or $1.99 per pound. He speculates that FOB prices were so high that the empty shelves were attributable to those stores refusing to pay to have grapes in their stores. In Tucson, AZ, on June 11, Pandol also found a retail store with no grapes on display.

Divine Flavor extends grape program into California

Fresh Fruit Portal: “Sonoran grapes hit fast crescendo” (6/16/2023)

On June 1, Mexican grape shipper Divine Flavor LLC, indicated a huge cold weather-induced gap between its early Jalisco grape deal and the traditional high-volume shipping of Sonora. Prices had been historically high because of unprecedented low supplies.

Grape industry icon John Pandol, Pandol Bros., Delano, CA, on June 16 told FreshFruitPortal.com that he did a Chicago supermarket tuor June 7-8. While some stores had strong grape displays, and Aldi’s apparently made Mexican grapes a loss leader, with prices at $1.49 or $1.99 per pound. He speculates that FOB prices were so high that the empty shelves were attributable to those stores refusing to pay to have grapes in their stores. In Tucson, AZ, on June 11, Pandol also found a retail store with no grapes on display.

U.S. grape market remains tight ahead of peak Chilean volume

A wild Mexican table grape shipping season will mostly end in late July, in the general consensus of key industry players. The industry expects its final Mexican harvest volume figure will be 24.5 million boxes, according to Michael Dupuis of Divine Flavor LLC.

Mexican grapes winding down

A wild Mexican table grape shipping season will mostly end in late July, in the general consensus of key industry players. The industry expects its final Mexican harvest volume figure will be 24.5 million boxes, according to Michael Dupuis of Divine Flavor LLC.

SONORAN GRAPES HIT FAST CRESCENDO

Fresh Fruit Portal: “Sonoran grapes hit fast crescendo” (6/16/2023)

On June 1, Mexican grape shipper Divine Flavor LLC, indicated a huge cold weather-induced gap between its early Jalisco grape deal and the traditional high-volume shipping of Sonora. Prices had been historically high because of unprecedented low supplies.

Grape industry icon John Pandol, Pandol Bros., Delano, CA, on June 16 told FreshFruitPortal.com that he did a Chicago supermarket tuor June 7-8. While some stores had strong grape displays, and Aldi’s apparently made Mexican grapes a loss leader, with prices at $1.49 or $1.99 per pound. He speculates that FOB prices were so high that the empty shelves were attributable to those stores refusing to pay to have grapes in their stores. In Tucson, AZ, on June 11, Pandol also found a retail store with no grapes on display.

Many U.S. retail shelves empty for Sonoran grapes

Fresh Fruit Portal: “Many U.S. retail shelves empty for Sonoran grapes” (6/2/2023)

Many U.S. retail shelves have no grapes for sale early this June, cries Carlos Bon, vice president of sales for Divine Flavor LLC, based in Nogales, AZ.

On June 1, Bon explains to FreshFruitPortal.com that the Sonoran grape deal was forecast in March to be late because of unusually chilly weather in the winter and early spring. What was totally unexpected was the ongoing cool weather. He notes that on the morning of June 1, it was 55F in Caborca, a key Sonoran grape district near the Arizona border.