The premium variety is changing the way people buy table grapes
When Sugrathirtyfive first arrived in South Africa, it was clear that it had the potential to change the production landscape. Over time the late white table grape variety became known as AutumnCrisp, a global consumer brand that is making waves in the world’s table grape regions and in markets around the world.
According to the variety’s developer and owner, Sun World International, the brand has continued to build momentum over the past couple of seasons, both in Southern Africa and across its wider global programme.
“The brand has proven itself and has real market pull, and that has helped drive continued interest in plantings, grafting, and longer-term planning,” says Alison Buckneberg, senior PR director at the company. “Grower reaction has been very encouraging. The strength of the response comes from the combination of commercial performance and clear consumer appeal.”
She says the brand continues to expand in a deliberate, selective way across the globe, noting that “the focus has been on building the right network of partners in key regions, so the brand can travel well and perform consistently rather than simply grow for the sake of scale”. That slower, more disciplined approach has helped strengthen the brand’s long-term position, she maintains.
However, AutumnCrisp faces the same challenges as other new grape cultivars when it comes to finding its feet is South Africa. Climatic conditions play a role, and the variety is as sensitive to inclement weather as any other varieties. Local growers admire Autumncrisp’s distinctive eating quality compared with older white seedless grape varieties, noting thaty it offers a more attractive consumer experience through superior berry size, a satisfying crunch, and an appealing flavour profile. “These characteristics strengthen its premium positioning and help differentiate it from more traditional grape varieties on retail shelves,” says Gabriel Viljoen of De Vlei in the Hex River Valley.
He notes that “the premium quality of AutumnCrisp must be carefully protected throughout the production process. The bunches are particularly sensitive to rain, and exposure can result in significant fruit losses, quality deterioration, and increased waste. For this reason, growers often use protective measures such as covering individual bunches with water-repellent paper bags or installing overhead plastic structures to shield the vines from rain damage”.
Such careful handling is equally important after harvest, Viljoen adds, pointing out that extended transit times are also not favourable for AutumnCrisp.
Both South African and international consumers have voted with their feet to get hold of this crunchy grape.
“Our branding strategy has evolved,” says Buckneberg. “The main lesson has been that cultivar branding only works when it is built on a genuine eating experience and supported by the full chain, from breeding and production through to retail and consumer communication. We have become more intentional about partner selection and more focused on execution, because brand value depends on consistency.”
Looking ahead, she sees continued opportunity to apply this model more broadly. “The next stage for Sun World is about deepening the branded fruit platform, strengthening the infrastructure behind it, and continuing to build varieties and brands that give consumers a reason to come back,” she concludes.
