Autumncrisp takes its first steps as a consumer brand

The world’s first table grape cultivar to become a brand, Autumncrisp, will take its first steps into the consumer arena this weekend in New York where around 15,000 people will visit The Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival (NYWFF).

Visitors to what is one of the country’s largest wine and food events can participate in a tasting of the Autumncrisp variety.

It is perhaps the first time in the world that a branded table grape variety will be subjected to such scrutiny.

Since its introduction over the past decade, Autumncrisp, a late season white seedless variety with exceptional appearance and taste, has been winning over grape producers around the world.

This has led to the owners, Sun World, recently announcing that they will be developing the variety under a global brand.

Fruitnet has established that the new brand will be gradually introduced from the major table grape regions around the world, as the seasons develop and as production grows.

The New York event is therefore viewed as experimental to establish the brand in the long term.

“As part of its activation, Sun World will host a sampling station at the NYWFF’s weekend Grand Tasting event on Hudson River Park’s Pier 76,” said Jennifer Sanchez, vice-president marketing at Sun World.

”From Friday through Sunday (13-15 October), Sun World expects to sample Autumncrisp branded grapes to more than 15,000 attendees,”

According to Sanchez, the branding campaign will feature “robust” digital marketing aimed at the iconic grape brand’s targeted consumers, in-store marketing, sampling, media outreach, as well as collaboration with food influencers and social media outreach.

“Tasting is believing, which is why we’re sampling at large-scale food festivals as part of our outreach,” she noted. “We could not think of a better culinary event to make our marketing debut.”

Since the announcement of the brand, grape growers, specifically in Southern Africa, have welcomed the step as a new way of creating excitement in the table grape category, where products are at present mostly sold as either white, red or black seedless.

“Sun World continues to be excited about executing strategic growth plans in current and new territories,” Sanchez continued.

“Each territory plays an important, strategic part in building sustainable and consistent, year-round supply. Sun World continues to grow and build our brand presence with key retailers and consumers around the world through our superior varieties and well-known brands.”

Sun World also announced the introduction of a new brand for a range of promising early red varieties, Ruby Rush.

The first variety to be included under the Ruby Rush brand will be the Sugrafiftythree variety.