Sun World Taps Two Chilean Grape Companies for Licensing Program

Sun World International has licensed two of Chile’s leading table grape producer-exporters, Rio King and RIOblanco, to grow and market its proprietary seedless grapes, executive vice president David Marguleas announces. The two grape companies join existing Sun World Chile grape marketer licensees: Subsole, Unifrutti, Dole, Compania Frutera Santa Maria, Gesex, Santa Elena and Exser. “RIOblanco and Rio King, two of Chile’s most formidable grape producer-exporters, add noteworthy supply and distribution capacity to our proprietary branded grape program,"Marguleas says. "As a result of their involvement -- and the tremendous capabilities of our existing Chilean licensees -- retailers and consumers around the world will have increased access to Sun World branded grapes.” “Rio King is a fully integrated export company with farming operations on 3,700 hectares in Chile and Peru, importing offices in USA and China and a first class worldwide customer network. We are committed to a sustainable fresh fruit business and cutting edge technologies for all our operations,” Rio King managing director Andres Perez says. Rio King is owned by Sergio and Carlos Barros. “RIOblanco is a long time family-owned company focused on growing, packing and exporting premium fruit primarily from our own farms. Quality is a strategic pillar for the RIOblanco development plan and this agreement with Sun World is a confirmation of commitment to quality in world class new varieties of grapes,” adds RIOblanco managing director Pedro Medina. In addition to growing many of Sun World’s new seedless grape varieties, the two new marketers have been granted a license to distribute fruit from new varieties developed by Sun World and to use Sun World’s brands, including MIDNIGHT BEAUTY, SCARLOTTA SEEDLESS, AUTUMNCRISP, ADORA SEEDLESS and SABLE SEEDLESS in the marketplace. In addition to its own California grape production, Sun World's fruit licensing program involves more than 1,500 producers and marketing companies in most of the world's major fruit-growing regions. Rio King and RIOblanco join 36 other Sun World grape marketers around the world. Sun World’s variety development work focuses on a full range of fresh grapes with characteristics officials list such as enhanced flavor, distinctive taste, larger berries and clusters, earlier and later ripening times and availability, and increased productivity. The California company also develops new plums, peaches, apricots and nectarines for licensed growers.