US-based fruit and vegetable breeder, grower and marketer Sun World International has licensed its first table grape production in Peru, highlighting the South American country's continuing emergence as a key supplier to international markets.
The deal sees Peruvian grape specialist Agricola Don Ricardo (ADR) become the first grape producer-marketer to join Sun World's global network of licensed growers.
ADR, which produces a broad range of grape varieties in Peru's Ica Valley, is an established exporter to clients in markets in Europe, Asia and the US.
Sun World's licensing vice-president Johan Jooste welcomed the deal: 'Our new Peruvian partner will be an excellent addition to the Sun World licensee network.'
He added: 'I am confident that ADR's professionalism and commitment to quality grape production and distribution will complement well our other Southern Hemisphere licensees in particular.'
Sun World's fruit licensing program now involves more than 1,000 producers and marketing companies in most of the world's major fruit-growing regions.
As well as ADR, Sun World has licensed grape marketers in Italy (Peviani, DiDonna and Apofruit); Portugal (Vale de Rosa); Israel (Tali Grapes); Chile (Dole Chile, Unifrutti, Subsole and Frutera Santa Maria); Australia (Perfection Fresh and Grape Exchange) South Africa (Capespan, The Grape Co, Dole South Africa, Green Marketing and Suiderland/New Vision); Spain (El Ciruelo and Moyca); and in Brazil (COANA, Katope and Special Fruit).
ADR was founded in 1996 by Ricardo Briceno and Rafael Ibarguren, and is led by operations manager Rafael Ibarguren and commercial and administration manager Alejandro Fuentes.
