Grapes

Facts

• Grapes are helpful in fighting certain diseases. Grapes contain resveratrol, which is known to help fight breast, liver and colon cancers. Phytonutrients found in grapes may also help fight the flu. Nutrients found in grapes have been shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits. Eating grapes can help with the regulation of blood pressure.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for grapes: fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free.

Sales Strategies

• While grapes are most often eaten as a snack, they do offer some cross-merchandising opportunities, including wine, crackers, bagged salads and deli cheese.
• Grape supplies are available year-round, so create a promotion strategy that puts them front and center throughout the year.
• Fall: Promote grapes as a healthy, easy addition to kids’ lunch boxes as they head back to school. Grapes also make an easy addition to cheese and fruit trays for game-day football parties and tailgates.
• Winter: Red and green are the colors of the holidays. Promote them as part of your winter holiday promotions. Create cheese and grape trays that consumers can buy and take to holiday parties.
• Spring: Grapes make a tasty addition to salads, so promote them with salad vegetables as consumers begin looking for lighter meals as the days get warmer.
• Summer: Grapes are the perfect grab and go snack for families. Promote them as a great option for taking in the car on vacations and an easy to pack snack for summertime outings.
• The California Table Grape Commission recommends promoting at least five varieties of grapes at the same time. The commission’s research also suggests that promoting grapes four to five times per month and offering discounts of 51% or more are the best ways to boost grape movement.

Dynamic Displays

• Red and green seedless grapes are consumers’ favorites so make them staples in your display. Consider offering blue/black varieties if your customer base shows a preference for them.
• Contain the grapes on your display by only offering packaged grapes. Bags and clamshells provide for a neat display that avoids creating a slipping hazard.
• Grapes are fragile, so don’t stack clamshells or bags.
• Grapes can be displayed without refrigeration for 24 hours. Their shelf life is 48 hours on a refrigerated display.
• The more space you can give to grapes, the better your sales will be. Research by the California Table Grape Commission shows that displays of more than 25-feet can increase sales up to 63% over 18-foot displays.
• Create a prominent grape display when supplies are plentiful. California Table Grape Commission research shows that 45% of grape purchases are impulse buys.
• Consider pricing all varieties of grapes at the same price

Food Service

• Include grapes in green and fruit salads and on salad bars.
• Add sliced grapes to breakfast bars as a mix-in for yogurt and granola.
• Frozen grapes dipped in chocolate offer a unique dessert.
• Grapes can be peeled, but make it easier by dipping them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then placing them in cold water before peeling them.
• Grape slices can make an attractive plate or drink garnish.

In the Backroom

Shipping
21- to 20-lb. plain pack cartons/bags/ lugs (California) 19-lb. cartons/bags/lugs (California) 18-lb. cartons/bags/lugs 16-lb. cartons/bags/lugs (California) 16-lb. cartons, clamshells American slip-skin (concord type) 24-lb. crates, 8 2-quart baskets 20-lb. 12-quart baskets 18-lb. cartons, 12 1-quart baskets Consumer packs Poly bags: 1 to 11⁄2 lb., 11⁄2 to 2 lb., 2 to 21⁄2 lb., 3 lb., 4 lb. Bulk RPC 6411, 6413 Foodservice packs 5-lb. packs 150 pre-portioned bunches

Grades
Table grapes European or vinifera type U.S. Extra Fancy Table U.S. Extra Fancy Export U.S. Fancy Table U.S. Fancy Export U.S. No. 1 Table U.S. No. 1 Institutional Pack

Handling
Temperature: 30-32 F (-1-0 C) Relative humidity: 90-95% Mist: no Typical shelf life: 56 to 180 days Odor producer. Grapes fumigated with sulfur dioxide will produce odors that may be absorbed by other fruits and vegetables. Do not store or transport fumigated grapes with other fruits and vegetables. Odor sensitive. Grapes will absorb odors produced by leeks and green onions. Moderately sensitive to freezing injury. Although frozen grapes are a good snack, freezing is a poor method of storage. White or green grapes will have a yellow cast or straw color with a touch of amber at their taste peak. Red varieties are best when red coloring predominates all or most of the berries. Darker varieties should be free of a green tinge. Minimize shatter by unfastening the lug’s lid. Hold the lid on top while turning the lug upside down. Carefully remove the lug. If lined, the grapes will stay in place. Remove the liner and the grapes will fall free.

Equivalents

21-lb. lugs = about 112 grape garnishes 1 lb. seedless grapes = about 3 cup