Whole Foods has revealed to customers and clients that it is anticipating a significant dearth in Chilean table grape supplies due to the recent earthquake in the country’s central regions.
“We expect the shortage to extend through early April and perhaps all the way to the first of May,” the company said on its blog, the Whole Story.
The retailer explained that its vendor partners in Chile report that they have been unharmed by the 8.8-quake which struck on Saturday 27 February, although infrastructure has been affected, with packhouses especially hard hit, and many coldstorage facilities and packing plants reportedly destroyed.
“Thousands of pallets of fruit that were packed and ready for shipment have been lost,” Whole Foods said. “Chile’s VI Region, where grape production is peaking, is reported to be a disaster, without electricity since the earthquake struck. The capacity to cool and hold new fruit is extremely limited.
“On the farms, staff members are gradually returning to work, depending on whether basic serves such as power and water have been restored. Fruit that dropped in the orchard is not yet cleared and a full estimate of what’s been lost is incomplete.
“Many vineyards are reported to have been affected by the movement of the earth, some vines have collapsed and it’s still unknown how root systems may have been affected. The fall apple harvest is just getting underway, so it’s early to know what that impact will be.”
In the meantime, Whole Foods has suggested consumers stock up on alternative sweet-tasting fruits such as Yellow Ataulfo mangoes, Maradol papayas and super sweet pineapples from Costa Rica.
The retailer added that its stores will also have plentiful volume of US-grown produce. including: Murcott and Pixie tangerines, artichokes, baby broccoli, spring onions, new potatoes and strawberries.
