Greek ARRA harvest is in full swing with an impressive berries range
VV
Despite some challenging weather earlier in the season, Greek grape harvest is shaping up to be extremely “promising” with an impressive berries range. Met at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, Jupiter’s team shared some crop sizes and quality forecasts.
Established in 2003, family owned, award winning Jupiter started with international sales in 2008. Since 2014 the company has become a grower itself and started to secure license agreements with various breeders. Since that time Jupiter has been growing rapidly. “We decided to become the grower to sustainably control the whole supply chain,” – says CEO Mark Tweddle. Mark continues “The fact that we are a grower now gives us an opportunity to really build on the trust from our customers, we are wholly transparent and the process is simplified with everything going through just one company.”
Jupiter Group has started to harvest in Greece from week 33 with ARRA 15 variety, also known as ARRA SWEETIES™ (white seedless). The berries range from an impressive 21mm upwards with high sugar levels of around 18-19 brix. This variety has unique durability to rain, which means they are on top form and have great storage ability. Grapes will reach the customer in prime condition.
From week 38 the company has started to harvest ARRA 19, known as ARRA PASSION GLOW™ (seedless red). Mark tells that this grape has 6-8 week availability. Sugar level is around 19 brix and berries range from 19mm upward.
“It is our second year production in Greece for ARRA 15 and 19. Crop has a clean and crisp appearance with an optimal eating quality; it looks bright and clean with an ideal bunch shape,” – shares Mark Tweddle.
Other Greek ARRA varieties will be ready to harvest soon too with ARRA 32 available from week 40/41 and ARRA 28 due to harvest in week 43/44.
An important part of what Jupiter is as a business is about reinvesting in local communities.
Kirsty Fleetwood, Head of Marketing explains: “We have a charitable foundation ‘the Nancy Tweddle Foundation’ that helps us to make positive change in local communities all over the world. Using our business as a force for good has enabled us to support a multitude of projects and bring further benefits to the communities who support our growing regions. For example we have put IT equipment in girls’ school in India, invested in youth football and rugby teams in South Africa, embedded healthy lifestyle campaigns in schools in the UK – just to name a few.”
Jupiter now grows produce across Europe, South America, South Africa and India. Jupiter Group will be exhibiting at Fruit Attraction in Madrid (October 22-24), Hall 7, Stand F01A.
For more information about Jupiter Group, visit www.jupitermarketingltd.com
About Jupiter
The company started with licensing the Maylen ® varieties in Chile. Later the company acquired the master license for ARRA table grape varieties in Greece and obtained the first ARRA license in India. Now the company has exclusivity for ARRA grapes varieties in Greece and India and have recently awarded the Sahyadri Farms co-operative the exclusive growing rights to support their vision. Jupiter grows and supplies new and traditional varieties of grapes and citrus alongside melons, kiwis, pineapples, limes, avocados, ginger and garlic.