The Vanguard International Group has begun shipping its grapes from its new packing house at Vanguard Challapampa in Ica, Peru.  The new facility allows for a range of packing styles and types — a significant advantage when packing multiple varieties for all types of customers (retail, wholesale, foodservice, e–commerce) in over 25 countries – with superior cooling and cold chain control. Vanguard Challapampa and its popular Vanguard Fresh and Pampa Fresh labels are well known in the global markets and is considered a leading grower and packer of grapes.

“We are thrilled to see this year’s crop moving into the market out of our brand-new facility,” says Craig Stauffer, Vanguard International CEO. “Since the acquisition of Vanguard Challapampa in April 2016, we’ve seen some exciting growth on our farms in terms of new grape varieties. The completion of our packing house is the next step in our vertical-integration strategy to get the amazing fruit from this region to market.”

One of the benefits of the new facility is harnessing the ability to pre-condition the grapes inside the packing house as opposed to out in the field, allowing the team to get the grapes out of the field heat and into a controlled environment quickly where a more efficient and humidity-controlled pre-conditioning and first stage packing process exists, all with state-of-the-art cold chain management.

“Our best in class pre–cooling at the new facility is designed to provide the optimal time, temperature, and humidity to cool the fruit”, says Manuel Yzaga, President, Vanguard Peru. “The result will be crisper berries, greener stems, and a longer shelf life.”

The selling and marketing of grapes out of Vanguard Challapampa will be handled by Vanguard Direct. Vanguard Direct represents The Vanguard International Group in North America, selling and marketing table grapes and other products from around the world, and to the rest of the world by Vanguard International. Vanguard owns the ranch, the packing house, and we own the commitment to quality and customer service. Vanguard Direct has enhanced the marketing, sales, and distribution of our imports from our Peru ranch into North America with the ability to control the product from growing to delivery.

Vanguard Challapampa grape varieties include IP (patented) seedless green, red and black varieties. For this season, Vanguard Challapampa and Vanguard Direct are introducing seven new premium varieties of red, green and black grapes including Sweet Celebration™, Jack’s Salute™, Ivory™, Sweet Globe™, Sugar Crisp™, Sweet Favors™, and Sweet Sapphire™ with this year’s shipment volume doubling last years.

Located in the Villacurri region of the Ica valley, Ica is considered to be the premier production area in Peru, and one of the finest grape production areas in the world. The Ica Valley soil invited new technologies that have resulted in achieving mature production in a shorter time frame as well as greater yields. Under the Vanguard banner, Challapampa has expanded its offering of IP seedless grapes and will continue planting and growing additional new and exciting IP varieties which offer the consumer an exceptional eating experience.

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