The Macfrut Table Grape Global Players scheduled for the second day of the fair (Thursday 9 May) at the Rimini Expo Center will be a great meeting and discussion with experiences from all over the world. The event is part of the Table Grape Symposium, the world symposium on table grapes which at Macfrut (8-10 May 2024) attracts the main experts and international players in the sector.

Market trends, production trends, product innovation, commercial strategies: these are some of the topics that will be addressed on Thursday together with the main world producers. We spoke to some of them for a preview of the topics covered. Moderated by Thomas Drahorad of Ncx Drahorad, who coordinates the event, the first speech will be by Oscar Salgado , agronomist and global consultant, specialized in table grapes for over 30 years; will talk about the “Global supply of table grapes, drivers and challenges”. According to Salgado , “the supply of table grapes is evolving very rapidly along the entire supply chain: from cultivation techniques to cultivars, from pre- and post- collection to logistics, from climate challenges to retail with increasingly demanding consumers. The consolidation of tropical and sub-tropical areas, as well as new countries and new production regions of the offer, redesigning our way of approaching business of table grapes and force us to apply more technology to face the future successfully”.

Benjamin Cilloniz Guerero will bring his experience from one of the most dynamic markets of recent years, that of Peru. CEO of Safco Perù Group, an agricultural company that develops over 600 hectares of table grapes in Villacurì-Ica, sees the coming years like this: “What should we expect from Peru after a decade of authorized varieties? This period has seen a huge evolution in the entire sector and Peru is keeping pace with new challenges regarding both production and marketing."

Another experience will be from South Africa. Speaking about it is Johan Fouche , director of The Grape Company (Paarl – South Africa) for over twenty years in the table grape sector, who will present the “Long-term strategy from South Africa to global markets”: “As a company, The Grape Company is implementing long-term strategies to overcome challenges in the South African table grape sector in the global market sphere. Macfrut will be an opportunity for us to share our opinions during the event and also a fruitful moment of networking".

Graziano De Filippis , commercial director of Polar Europe (Spain), where he coordinates the global supply of Blanc Seedless grapes under the Sweeta brand to large European retailers, will speak on the high-end table grape market: “Sweeta is the example of how a table grape brand that guarantees a broad concept of quality is able to guarantee a global and centralized supply of product to the largest European supermarkets. The integration between varietal development, production coordination and centralization of the commercial offer constitutes a unique case of success". Finally, the case history of Spain together with Fina Mena , commercial director of Moyca Grapes, who will talk about "Spanish table grapes for the world: new challenges and opportunities".