The Fruit Growers News


As both production and plantings of Red Globe grapes have increased in California in the past several years, more California shippers are turning to the domestic market to absorb growing volume. Traditionally, the large seeded grapes have gone to overseas markets, especially in the Pacific Rim where customers favor large-sized, seeded grapes. While convenience-minded American consumers typically favor seedless grapes, more California shippers are finding a greater domestic demand for Red Globes. The advantages of the Red Globes, which were first introduced into the United States about 20 years ago are several fold, shippers say. They’re large-sized grapes, growing up to a one-inch plus diameter. They’ve got good eye appeal, good flavor, good shelf life, and ship well over long distances. They’re also widely available in the late fall and early winter months, during a time when there are no fresh Thompsons out on the market and relatively few red grape varieties to choose from. Because of these attributes, Red Globes have come a long way in the domestic market, said Steve Ryan, who heads the grape department at Ballantine Produce Co., Inc. in Reedley, Calif. “Five or six years ago, the domestic market was only 2 to 3 percent of Red Globe sales Now the domestic market is a healthy chunk of Red Globe sales,” Ryan said. Ryan estimated that Ballantine sells about 80% of its Red Globe domestically while the rest of the industry has about an even split between domestic and overseas Red Globe sales. Red Globes first became popular domestically on the East Coast several years ago, Ryan said. “Now they’re as accepted in Los Angeles as much as they are in Boston or anywhere else,” Ryan said. Globes are especially popular around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, and are regular parts of holiday fruit baskets, Ryan said. Part of the reason for the increased domestic sales is that American consumers have become less wary of seeded grapes, said Jim Pandol, vice president of marketing for Pandol Bros. Inc. in Delano, Calif. “Consumers are more accepting of seeds. I think we do know that there’s more research showing the health benefits regarding roughage and the nutrients in them. The globes also have nice berry size and are a meaty grape. People are slowly starting to know it and recognize it,” Pandol said. While some retailers were reluctant a few years ago to allocate shelf space to Red Globes, those retailers who tried selling them found that they moved faster than they had anticipated, Pandol said. Shaun Ricks, co-owner of New Leaf Grape Co. in Traver, Calif. said he’s also seen growing acceptance of Red Globes as well as more retailers advertising the globes over the last few years. “They’re eye-catching and their size sticks out,” Ricks said. The globes also have a mellower and subtler flavor compared to some red seedless varieties, Ricks said. “They don’t get the tartness of a Flame or the exceptional sweetness of a Thompson,” Ricks said. The California Table Grape Commission in Fresno has also unearthed evidence of some consumer acceptance of seeded grapes. According to a recent survey published by the commission, 71% of surveyed consumers said they preferred seedless grapes while 10% of consumers said they preferred grapes with seeds, and 15% said they didn’t mind whether grapes had seeds in them or not. Right now there are about 12,000 acres of Red Globes planted in California with 70% of the acreage in production. As more globes become available, it’s likely that their popularity will continue growing domestically as well, Ricks said. The premium overseas markets for Red Globe are generally in Taiwan and Hong Kong where the globes get up to one inch to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, Ricks said. Size is important to the Asians, Ricks said. In previous years, a one-inch diameter used to be the minimum size the Asians would buy. Now, with more worldwide Red Globe production in the marketplace, there are some Asian buyers who won’t buy globes under 1 1/4 inches in diameter, Ricks said. As Asian buyers become more circumspect about what sized globes they’ll buy, more Red Globes, especially smaller-sized globes should become available in the domestic market, Ricks said. While overseas buyers generally purchase unbagged globes, American retailers often prefer smaller sized Red Globes - an average of one inch in diameter - because they’re easier to bag and stack on grocery store shelves, Ricks said.
“The smaller bunches with smaller berries are not only accepted, they’re something that’s preferred (domestically),” Ricks said. Jim Corrigan, president of the supermarket chain, Carrot Top Inc., Northbrook, Ill., said he sells his Red Globes in bags. Corrigan said that Red Globes are consistent sellers, especially when he does in-store samplings. “When we do samplings, we get tremendous response. Red Globes have tremendous flavor, and people are finding the seed is not objectionable,” Corrigan said. While younger clients are a little slower to try seeded grapes, older clients, many of whom grew up eating seeded grapes, are more likely to gravitate to the Red Globes, Corrigan said. “What you’re seeing is more younger clientele are quicker to spit the seeds out while the older clientele eat the seeds. The seeds are small and they’re an easily edible part of the fruit. They’re not something that’s hard and can’t be chewed,” Corrigan said. Not only are Red Globes becoming more popular domestically during the California season which generally runs from July through October, but some buyers are even beginning to request Chilean Red Globes which start in January, Pandol said.
Aside from the flavor, longevity, and eye-appeal of the globes, price is another reason some retailers turn to Red Globes, Pandol said.
Whereas a good red seedless grape may sell for $16 to $20 per box in the late grape season, Red Globes may go for $12 to $14 per box, Pandol said.
“This allows retailers to price the grapes lower for more price conscious consumers,” Pandol said.
Years ago, Red Globes used to sell for $19 plus per box while now they generally sell for $11.50 to $15.50 per box, Ryan of Ballantine said.
Although globe prices have decreased, the globes still produce more yield per acre than other grape varieties, Pandol said.
In comparison to Flames which average 600 boxes per acre and Thompsons which average 700 boxes per acre, Red Globes yield 1,000 to 1,200 boxes per acre on average, Pandol said.
However, Red Globes do have their special growing challenges, said Craig Calandra, a Fruit Patch Sales Co. field representative. in Dinuba, Calif.
Calandra supervises about 200 acres of Red Globes for Fruit Patch which are planted in six by 12 feet and seven by 12 feet spacings.
Because Red Globes are very sensitive to gibberellic acid, Calandra said that even though it’s more labor intensive, it’s important to hand dip the vines in gibberellic acid rather than spraying the gib directly on the vines.
“You don’t want to get any gib on the buds,” Calandra said. In order to get sizing on the globes, it’s best to leave one cluster per shoot on the vines after color break, Calandra said.
The number of seeds per berry often determines size. The more seeds the better. The larger berries can have anywhere from four to five seeds. Globe harvest generally goes from mid-August until mid-October. Some growers, hoping to hit the later markets, cover their globes with plastic to protect them from the rain, so they can harvest later in the season. Most growers leaf anywhere from one to two times after verasion and the threat of sunburn is over, Calandra said. Color break usually occurs in July.
Canopy management can be a tricky matter because while growers need to pull enough leaves from the canopy so the globes will color up, at the same time they need to be careful not to pull too many leaves since the globes are sensitive to sunburn. Like many other varieties, most Red Globes are planted on overhead open gable systems. When it comes time to leafing, hand crews pull leaves around the bunches and between the first catch wire and the cordon wire on the gables. This also helps let in light indirectly while still keeping the overhead canopy intact to protect the grapes against sunburn. In addition to being sun-sensitive, globes are one of the more phomopsis sensitive varietals. Calandra said that he generally sends hand crews into the vineyard after pruning before the spurs heal up and dab them with fungicides. It’s especially important to do the fungicide applications prior to rains because spores can get splashed up from the ground and damage the spurs, Calandra said. “If you lose your spurs, you’ll lose your yield. It’s hard to gain the spur back once it dies,” Calandra said.