Perfection Fresh (Aust)

Watch for Australia's first Scarlotta seedless® red grapes

Attention foodies! Discover autumn's only specialty red seedless grapes

Australia's newest specialty red seedless grapes - late-season Scarlotta seedless® - will start arriving on supermarket shelves next March.

Scarlotta seedless® - harvested up to four months later than other grapes - appear just as other Australian-grown specialty grapes are ending their season.

Their availability means consumers will soon be able to buy Australian-grown specialty grapes from November to April.

This indulgent, fresh-snacking grape is characterised by its uniform mid-to-large size berries and colour, firm skin and full-bodied sweet flavour. It also has a low acidity.

Originally developed in California, Scarlotta seedless® are a cross between other top-tasting seedless varieties. Their exact makeup is a secret closely guarded by grape breeder Sun World.

Where to find Scarlotta seedless®

Look for Scarlotta seedless® at supermarkets and independent retail outlets in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland in their first season for about a month from late March or early April. They will become more readily available - and for longer - as plantings increase.

The Scarlotta seedless® story

Perfection Fresh is one of two Australian companies licensed by Sun World to market Scarlotta seedless® in Australia.

"It takes up to five years to commercialise a new grape crop," Perfection Fresh supply chain technical manager David Oakley says.

"Once they are identified as having the potential to be developed in Australia, it takes some time to negotiate licensing agreements. After it is imported, the variety must spend at least 18 months in quarantine before undergoing several years of field trials and tests to meet Sun World's specifications for flavour, sugar levels and overall appearance."

Perfection Fresh expects to send approximately 8,000 cartons of the fruit to market from the end of March.

Several table grape growers in Victoria's Sunraysia region are contracted to Perfection Fresh to produce the grapes.  

"Scarlotta seedless® are relatively straightforward to grow, have good vigour and develop early colour," David says.

Perfection Fresh is also licensed to market specialty Sun World varieties Midnight Beauty® seedless black grapes (November - January), Superior seedless™ white grapes (November - January), and Sable seedless® black grapes (December - March). Its non-specialty lines are Flame, Crimson, Thompson and Red Globe.

What the grower says

Sunraysia table grape grower Tony Marciano's Scarlotta seedless® crop will be the first harvested for Perfection Fresh.

Tony produces five grape lines for Perfection Fresh and has been a table grape grower for more than 22 years.

"Scarlotta seedless® production is labour intensive, like all table grape production. However, this variety has some unique growing traits which require extra attention. It produces lateral tendrils which tighten around the vine and must be checked and snipped daily to allow nutrients to get to the plant," Tony says.

"Scarlotta seedless® grapes are prolific. The number of bunches grown on each vine has to be contained to 32 to ensure fruit quality. Without grower intervention the vines could produce up to 100 bunches each, although the quality would be compromised. The bunches are also large, with some weighing up to 2kg."

Media ask us about...

• A vineyard tour - meet a Scarlotta seedless® grower.
• Aussie table grapes - industry trends.