Vanguard Group International's Ethan Williams Discusses Peruvian Grape Season, Blueberries, Citrus, and More in 2026 Outlook

ISSAQUAH, WA - Operating with a clear focus on producing and exporting fresh produce for global markets, Vanguard Group International emphasizes quality, sustainability, and operational efficiency for the benefit of retail partners. As 2026 begins, the company is navigating current industry challenges by prioritizing precision in how it reaches customers and staying closely attuned to market conditions. President Ethan Williams took a moment to fill me in on a season update, beginning with a look at Peruvian grapes.

The Peruvian grape season brings highly valuable supplies to the United States that consistently meet consumer demand.

“We have hit our stride within the Peruvian table grape season, seeing peak arrival weeks occurring mid-January through mid-February and then continuing with our late harvest in support of our program business into May. This enables our teams to manage allocations with greater fluidity by hitting our peak several weeks before Chile is expected to reach its peak arrival weeks,” Ethan explained. “Such a staggered arrival schedule is highly beneficial for both suppliers and market stability in general.”

According to Ethan, it is still too early to accurately analyze the supply outcome for this season.

“Piura had adverse weather that has led to lower quality and quantity compared to original estimates. Ica has been delayed on early varieties, but warmer weather can realign mid and late-season variety forecasts. South Africa has struggled considerably in being able to export grapes due to adverse port conditions,” Ethan told me. “It has been a season overflowing with unknowns, making each week’s due diligence on global market conditions a critical necessity.”

Ethan went on to note that freight rates jumped 30 percent nearly overnight as Vanguard transitioned from the South American citrus season to the South American grape season.

“Rapid growth in Peru’s blueberry production has placed new demands on container availability and vessel space. As a result, growers are navigating tighter equipment supply and more complex booking dynamics across the industry,” Ethan relayed. “Speaking of blueberries, another challenge this fruitful category has created is competition for labor. Blues reach peak harvest weeks September-November, directly overlapping with grape harvest in northern and southern Peru. Both commodities are labor-intensive, but the value of blueberries can be two to three times the value of table grapes, depending on genetics, creating a wage battle for labor and pressuring small and large grape growers alike.”

When it comes to the recent tariffs in the United States, Ethan told me the company has been faced with other challenges.

“This will be the first Peruvian grape season with a 10 percent tariff in effect. Taking industry averages into consideration, growers are facing an estimated $2.00-$2.50 per carton increase in costs,” he noted. “While some customers have been incredible in offering tariff support, tariff support doesn’t directly correlate to a higher price than last season. Competition still reigns supreme in steering market pricing regardless of growers’ breakeven costs.”

With Peruvian grapes in the spotlight, Vanguard is looking toward another exciting category later in the year.

“Vanguard’s Peruvian blueberry plantations and packhouse are advancing quickly, forcing our global teams to actively contain the excitement for that project while we maintain focus on the table grape season,” Ethan shared. “With our first premium-genetics jumbo blueberries being harvested mid-2026, it has been a very popular subject with every one of our customers. After a highly successful 2025 expansion into citrus led to results more than five times our initial forecasts, the addition of our premium blueberry offerings equips Vanguard Direct to become a one-stop shop for citrus, grapes, and blueberries in 2026.”

There is much to look forward to as 2026 gets underway! For more updates, stick with AndNowUKnow.