Pasadena Fruit Grower’s Expanding Organic Grape Program Spans the Entire San Joaquin Valley

Pasadena-headquartered Sun Pacific, one of the larger fruit growers in California’s San Joaquin Valley, anticipates a very good 2020 season as it continues to expand its organic grape program.

“We have grown our organics into a large and robust program, converting organic volume over the past three years,” Melissa Heinrich, Sun Pacific vice president of sales for grapes and kiwi, told The Produce News recently. 

Sun Pacific’s organic grape plantations span the entire San Joaquin Valley, from south Bakersfield all the way to Reedley, Heinrich said. 

She added the company has expanded its organic grape volume by transitioning more and more of its conventional acreage. Organic grapes now account for a majority of Sun Pacific’s grape volume, she said. One of their new varieties include the Autumn Crisp, a large crunch, sweet green grape that starts mid-season and can go until late.

Last month, The Produce News reported that Sun Pacific was beginning volume shipments soon, to continue through the fall. 

“Organic grapes will be available from July to December with promotional volume between mid-August and beginning of November,” Heinrich said in the report. “We will have 20 varieties of organics to cover all colors and windows.”

Heinrich adds that Sun Pacific tailors its sales promotions on a customer-by-customer basis in order to boost organic grape sales.

“Customers are looking to buy organic grapes that are as sweet and as high quality as conventional,” she said. “Big size, new varieties, better flavor and super sweet.”

Sun Pacific started when founder and CEO Berne Evans purchased 72 acres of orange groves in the San Joaquin Valley in 1969, armed with a vision to cultivate the fertile California land and create specialty crops that would delight customers across North America and beyond. Evans’ pioneering spirit led to unprecedented innovation in the citrus category, resulting in the highest quality brands in the marketplace.

Over the years, Sun Pacific has focused much of its attention on branded fruit, including Cuties clementines and mandarins, and Mightie kiwi. 

The company’s line also includes Air Chief table grapes, navel and Valencia oranges and lemons, and Vintage Sweets heirloom navel oranges.

For more information about Sun Pacific and its products, visit www.sunpacific.com.