FEBRUARY 2026

VDC RAISINS NEWSLETTER

At VDC Raisins, our story is rooted in family, quality, and the fertile lands of the Northern Cape.
From harvest to packaging, we are committed to delivering premium raisins you can trust—grown with care and shared with pride.

Great raisins don’t happen by accident—they’re made by great people.
From our growers and farm teams to quality controllers and logistics partners, everyone plays a part in bringing our raisins to life. Strong relationships, shared skills, and a passion for excellence are at the heart of everything we do.

From our family to yours.

Harvest Update 2025/2026 Season

Mid Season Overview
The season commenced earlier than usual, supported by favourable winter conditions. Several rainfall events and above-average humidity, providing ideal conditions for strong bud break.

Challenges

Downy Mildew: Increased pressure due to wet conditions, high humidity, and persistent dew, particularly in flood-irrigated blocks.
Hail Damage: Ranged from light to severe, causing crop losses in some areas.
Uneven Ripeness: Sugar levels varied on individual vines, though early harvesting enabled timely collection.
60-100mm Across Orange River Valley with approximately 50% of the crop still in the field.

Harvest Highlights

Early intake on our varieties, to mitigate rain risk.
Fruit quality and colour remain strong.
Quick drying achieved due to early extreme heat, sun-drying completed in ~7 days.

Crop Forecast Update

Initial estimate: 110,000 tonnes.
Latest forecast: 85 000 tonnes due to hail,mildew and rain on 22 and 23 February 2026.
Despite challenges, fruit quality remains encouraging with good firmness, size, and drying conditions.

QUALITY & CERTIFICATION

Quality and food safety are central to everything we do. Our certifications support international market access and reflect our commitment to safe, traceable, and responsibly produced raisins.

Through continuous improvement and rigorous certification, we deliver raisins you can trust—from our family to yours.

Key Certifications

BRC, Kosher & Halaal.
SIZA Social & Environment.
Organic Certification.

Focus Areas

Organic.
Strict food safety and hygiene controls.
Full traceability from vineyard to packhouse.
Compliance with international market, environmental, social, and governance standards.

Risk Watch & Mitigation

Key Risks:

Weather variability.
Port congestion during peak weeks, of citrus and fresh fruit seasons.
Global market pricing volatility.

Mitigation Actions:

Continuous vineyard monitoring.
Strengthened communication throughout the logistical chain, good planning to mitigate fruit peak seasons.

SUSTAINABILITY & COMMUNITY

Sustainability is a responsibility we carry from generation to generation.

Our Approach:
Responsible farming practices to protect the land. Efficient water and resource management. Supporting local communities via employment, skills development, and partnerships. By investing in our people, environment, and farming heritage, we ensure a resilient, sustainable future for the Northern Cape and the global raisin industry.

Global Market Insights

Global Raisin Trends

Steady growth expected through the mid-2030s, driven by demand in snacks, baked goods, and nutrition bars
Largest markets: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific.

South African Highlights

Production expected to surpass 100,000 tonnes in 2025.
Around 90% of the crop is exported, with Europe, the USA, Canada, and Africa as key markets.
Europe received ~52% of shipments in 2025; UK demand is rising
due to increased food safety trends.

Challenges & Opportunities

Weather variability affects drying and sugar levels.
South African raisins stand out for natural sun-dried quality, rich colour, flavour, and 12-month shelf life.
Strong emphasis on food safety (residues), traceability, consistent quality, and organic certification.
Strong agronomy to mitigate production risks.

BIOFACH 2026

BIOFACH, the world’s leading organic trade fair, is the ideal platform to showcase our South African organic raisins to international buyers.

The VDC Team attended Bio-Fach. A word of thanks for all of the positive conversations and planned activity to continue our business during 2026 and beyond.