News and Stories

Markon First Crop (MFC) Grapes are available in 21-pound portion packs; quality is good. Supplies will remain on the market through the week of December 21, then packer label California portion packs will be shipped.

California grape growers are shipping storage fruit in all varieties for all orders. Stocks are adequate; availability will continue through early January. Peruvian green and red seedless bags are arriving in small quantities on the East Coast. These markets are higher than current California prices. New crop Chilean grapes will begin arriving on the East Coast within the next 7 to 10 days; West Coast stocks will become available in mid- to late January. Prices are high, but will increase even more because the Chilean season is three to four weeks behind schedule. Expect elevated prices through January; most markets will ease to normal levels by mid-February.

Lunch Bunch Grapes

• MFC Grapes are available in 21-pound portion packs; quality is good
• Flavor is sweet: sugar levels range from 20 to 22 Brix
• Prices are rising and will continue to climb next week
• Supplies of California storage fruit are winding down
• New crop Chilean harvesting is behind schedule, delaying vessel shipments from Chile
• MFC supplies will be available through the week of December 21, then packer label domestic supplies will be shipped through mid-January
• New crop Chilean packer label Lunch Bunch grapes are expected to become available in mid-January

Green Seedless Grapes

• The remaining storage supplies are exhibiting a wide range of quality
• Dry stems, soft texture, and straw coloring are concerns
• High quality fruit is commanding elevated prices
• Flavor is sweet; sugar levels range from 18 to 19 Brix
• Prices continue to rise as storage volume is diminishing
• New crop Peruvian Sugraone green seedless stocks are available for loading on the East Coast
• West Coast supplies will be limited until California storage volume is depleted
• The market is higher than prices for California green seedless grapes
• Supplies are tight; volume levels are not expected to be reached until early January
• Berry size is large to extra-large; shape is round
• Flavor is tart; sugar levels are low
• New crop Chilean Thompson varieties will be on the East Coast in 7 to 10 days
• West Coast supplies will start in early to mid-January
• Prices will start off high

Red Seedless Grapes

• Crimson variety red seedless supplies are on the market
• Flavor is sweet; sugar levels range from 18 to 20 Brix
• Berry size will be large and elongated; shape will be round
• Color is pale to light red
• Prices are slowly increasing as the California storage season comes to an end
• Limited quantities of new crop Peruvian Flame red seedless are on the market
• Supplies are available for loading on the East Coast
• Berry size will be medium to large; shape will be round
• Flavor will be tart to sweet; sugar levels will be lower than California red seedless fruit
• New crop Chilean Flames will be available on the East Coast in the next 7-10 days
• Stocks will hit the West Coast by mid- to late January
• The market will start off high

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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