<p>A record-setting 28 million boxes of California table grapes have been shipped through Friday, August 23, 2013, according to USDA data. August has seen week-ending totals of over 4 million boxes three weeks in a row.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“The crop is moving at what could be a record-setting pace,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. The 2013 year-to-date total is 3% ahead of last year, which saw a record-high season total volume that surpassed the 100 million 19-pound box equivalent mark for the first time in history, according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">A study conducted earlier this year by The NPD Group found that fresh fruit is the top snack food and the fastest growing snack food in America.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“Shoppers are becoming more health conscious about the food they buy for themselves and their families,” said Nave. “As one of the top-selling fruit categories, grapes are a good fit for today’s shopper.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The 2013 grape season started in May 2013 and will continue through January 2014. Over 60% of the crop is shipped after August 31.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
