The 2025/26 season includes several new varieties with better sizing, shelf-life and overall quality, as demand for organic grapes continues to grow
Eosta has announced the arrival of the first volumes of new-season organic South African table grapes.
The Netherlands-based organic fresh produce specialist said that ”substantial volumes” are expected to be available until mid-April 2026.
The 2025/26 season includes several new varieties to the organic South African offer, it confirmed, with better sizing, shelf-life and overall quality.
The first shipment, which is due to arrive in the Port of Rotterdam this week, marks the start of the season which will feature the arrival of large volumes of organic white grapes (early Sweet Prime, Sweet Globe and Sugar Crisp), organic red grapes (Sweet Celebration, Autumn Royal, Evan’s Delight and Allison) and organic black grapes.
Several new organic varieties will be included this year, Eosta noted, including organic Autumncrisp, which will arrive in Spring 2026, as part of a range of newer and more established varieties.
“Autumncrisp has nice colouring, a crispy texture, sweet taste, and big berry sizing,” said Eosta product manager Koen van Velthoven. ”It’s part of a new generation of varieties that have been developed by breeders.”
According to van Velthoven, Eosta is experiencing increased demand for organic grapes, especially from grocery retailers and supermarket chains, which he believes is being driven both by competition concerns and by growing consumer awareness of the health threats posed by pesticide residues.
“Supermarkets look at what their competitors are doing,” he continued. “They all want to have an organic grape offer and they don’t want to be left behind.
“There is also more awareness that conventional grapes are being produced with quite a lot of pesticides and herbicides.
”These not only harm nature, they are not good especially for children, babies and older people,” van Velthoven outlined. ”This is leading to organic grapes becoming more and more popular.”
Compared with ten years’ ago, van Velthoven said there was also a notable improvement in the consistency of supply and a reduction in gaps.
“Thanks to new varieties, we have been able to spread availability throughout the whole season,” he explained.
“New organic varieties are also better than older varieties: they have more legs to travel, the quality is better after three weeks in a container, and they last longer in an ambient environment.”
Van Velthoven added that organic grape growers in South Africa are continuing efforts to expand their season by incorporating newer varieties, such as Ruby Rush; a red grape which colours and can be harvested earlier than other reds, allowing growers to start their season two weeks’ earlier.
