Tarrytown, NY-based fresh fruit importer, Jac. Vandenberg, Inc. has announced that their SUNRAYS® brand grapes will now be available year-round thanks to the addition of California to its lineup of growers.
Already sourced from Peru, Chile and Mexico, the addition of California gives retailers and consumers alike a year-round grape brand to trust and rely on.
“We are thrilled to now offer SUNRAYS® grapes year-round. It was always a goal of ours from the moment we began discussing the idea of expanding SUNRAYS® into the grape category,” says John Paap, Brand Marketing Manager at Jac. Vandenberg. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve heard from many of our retail partners the challenges of carrying a multitude of labels and varieties that constantly change week to week, month to month and season to season. The message was clear, retailers want a single, reliable, year-round grape brand on the shelves and we are proud to offer SUNRAYS® as a solution.”
While the expansion of the SUNRAYS® brand into grapes is fairly recent, the reception and demand by retailers on the program has been tremendous. “We started with the first SUNRAYS® grapes from Peru in December and we are now in the middle of the Chilean season. The growers we’ve partnered with are outstanding and the quality of the fruit packed in SUNRAYS® reflects that,” says Paap. “We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from retailers on the program thus far. Their shoppers are really connecting with the messaging of the brand and, of course, enjoying the eating experience of the product itself”.
The SUNRAYS® brand is heavily rooted in its social and environmental missions. The brand’s tagline, Snack with Impact®, reflect its commitment to making a positive impact on the world. For every package packed, a monetary donation is made to the international charity Save the Children to support their mission in building a brighter future for children in the US and around the world. To date, the SUNRAYS® brand has donated over $235,000 to the charity. Additionally, the brand is associated with several innovative packaging solutions that greatly reduces or completely eliminates the use of single-use plastics. The most recent innovation was introduced last summer in the form of the SUNRAYS® mandarins BIO bag – netting made completely from tree fibers, certified home compostable and biodegradable. The SUNRAYS® brand is truly designed for today’s social and eco-conscious shopper.
The SUNRAYS® grape program out of Mexico is expected to begin around mid-May and then transition into California around mid-July. The majority of grapes packed will be proprietary varieties such as Sweet Globe, Pristine, Sweet Celebration, Jack’s Salute, Krissy and Allison.
Retailers are encouraged to contact Jac. Vandenberg, Inc. to design their Mexico and California SUNRAYS® grape programs as soon as possible. Email: sales@sunraysfruits.com or call 914-964-5900.
