The table grape sector is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Changing consumer habits, the need for more efficient production, the challenges posed by climate change and ongoing technological advances are reshaping both the present and the future of the category.
In this context, innovation is no longer an added value but a strategic necessity. For El Ciruelo, innovation is not simply about adopting new technologies; it is about continuously improving every process involved in the production and marketing of table grapes.
As Spain’s leading table grape producer, marketing more than 120,000 tonnes every year, the company is committed to delivering premium-quality fruit by combining technology, sustainability and continuous improvement. Its current portfolio includes more than 45 table grape varieties, comprising white, red and black grapes, as well as organic and specialty varieties.
R&D begins in the vineyard
Innovation starts in the vineyard. Every season, El Ciruelo introduces new varieties that better meet market and consumer demands, improving attributes such as flavour, texture, productivity, resistance and adaptation to climatic conditions, while supporting more efficient and sustainable production with lower resource consumption.
The company’s commitment to R&D&I is another of its strategic pillars. A flagship initiative in this area is PLUMYSENS, a project developed in collaboration with the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) and the technology company Widhoc, which applies artificial intelligence to precision agriculture with the aim of optimising water and fertiliser use.
To achieve this, El Ciruelo has deployed a technological infrastructure comprising 500 soil moisture sensors, 15 thermoradiometers, weather stations and other monitoring devices installed across its vineyards. The information is integrated into an intelligent platform capable of collecting and analysing real-time data to determine more precisely when, how much and how to irrigate each crop. As a result, the company improves irrigation and fertigation efficiency, optimises water resource management and continues advancing towards an increasingly sustainable agricultural model.
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Technology also plays a fundamental role throughout the business. Most of the company’s operations have been digitalised and integrated into a single ERP system that connects every department. This digital transformation enables more efficient management of the entire value chain, guarantees full traceability from the vineyard to the customer, and provides real-time information to optimise every stage of the production process.
Innovation also reaches the consumer. Through its Your Healthy Snack range, El Ciruelo has developed individual ready-to-eat fruit formats tailored to today’s lifestyles. The main innovation this year has been the addition of table grapes to the range through a pack containing 16 seedless grapes, offering consumers a healthy, ready-to-eat snack.
With a strategy built around varietal innovation, research, digitalisation and sustainability, El Ciruelo continues to drive the evolution of the table grape sector while reinforcing its position as Spain’s leading table grape producer. This commitment to continuous improvement enables the company to meet the challenges facing the industry while continuing to deliver innovative solutions for both growers and consumers.
