At the start of the international grape harvest the pace was frantic. “Brazil as well as Peru did not meet the the promised volume. The yields per hectare appeared to be less everywhere. In the end, there was a shortage of products as well as prices in the last few weeks which I’m not able to recall,” says Wibo van the Ende from Vita Optima from Bleiswijk. “At the time price ranges were 25 to 26 EUR for the mixed seedless. 24 for seedless red, while 22 was for white seeds. The price for 4.5 kilogram packages amounted to 21 euros. It’s truly remarkable.”

“Moreover the distribution of South Africa and South America and South Africa wasn’t easy. However, the good thing is that the merchandise which did get there was high-quality and delicious so that consumers could get the most value for money,” Wibo continued. “Retailers keep their costs low. I’ve never seen a store selling more than EUR3 per punnet. the sales have stayed rising well. The promotions haven’t been as strong recently, but it will be different at beginning of the year because promotions are planned for the weeks 52 and 1.”

Wibo mentions that market trends are likely to shift over the coming weeks as more fruits arrive from Namibia as well as South Africa. “What could be expected from Peru over the next few weeks remains a mystery to me as I am assuming that they’ll send more fruit into America. United States. Recently, we frequently see that when you have an even slight excess in grapes, the price dynamics are extremely stable. But, I’m hopeful that these promotions will significantly impact the rates of grape turnover. People are more price-conscious in the current economic conditions, making promotion more important. But, it’s an exciting time.”

“An significant development in the market for grapes is the increasing desire for more premium variety, and supermarkets getting more selective. But, due to the small quantities in the last few months, consumers have been more beware. Due to all the certifications as well as MRL specifications, the wine industry has been a highly specialized area which is both for the producers as well as importers as well as exporters,” says Wibo. Vita Optima manages the import of grapes, the pre-packaging process, as well as distribution of grapes. It also distributes mangoes, citrus, avocados as well as dates for importers, exporters and growers as well as supermarkets, especially in Germany and Scandinavian countries.

For further information:

Wibo van den Ende

Vita Optima b.v.

Klappolder 224

2665 MR Bleiswijk

Tel: +31 (0)6 1000 2872

[email protected]

www.vitaoptimabv.com