From vine to grocery aisle: the journey of Peruvian grapes with Lineage

Most people don’t think twice about where their grapes come from. You pick them up at the grocery store, rinse them off and that’s that. But every bunch of grapes has already taken a long trip before landing in your cart. In the case of Peruvian grapes, that trip stretches from the sun-soaked fields of Ica to the coolers of Savannah, Georgia. And along the way, Lineage is there to keep them safe, fresh and ready to eat.

Harvesting grapes in Peru’s Ica Valley

The Ica Valley is one of Peru’s most productive growing regions, responsible for nearly half the country’s grapes. During harvest season, crews move quickly. Grapes are clipped by hand, tucked into crates and sent straight to cooling buildings just down the road. That fast turnaround is critical; the sooner the fruit cools, the better it holds its flavor and firmness throughout its journey.

Sorting, packing and cooling grapes for export

Inside the coolers, workers give the grapes one last look. They’re washed, checked over and packed into strong cartons designed to hold up on the long trip. Each box displays the basics—variety, origin, grower—so buyers know exactly what they’re getting. Then comes the cold: the fruit is brought down to just above freezing, about 0–1°C (32–34°F), locking in quality for the upcoming days at sea. A phytosanitary certificate is issued, clearing the grapes for the journey ahead.

Freight forwarding and customs clearance at the Port of Callao

While the fruit is still being packed, Lineage’s freight forwarding and customs brokerage teams are already at work behind the scenes. They handle the export paperwork, book space on the vessel and arrange for the container to be drayed quickly by our team once it reaches the U.S. It’s the kind of work that’s invisible to shoppers but essential for keeping produce moving without costly delays.

Ocean shipping from Peru to the Port of Savannah

From Callao, in Peru, the grapes begin their ocean crossing to the Port of Savannah, Georgia, receiving cold treatment along the way. Once the ship arrives, the container is unloaded and drayed by Lineage’s transportation team to our Port Wentworth facility; just a short drive away but a big step closer to American grocery shelves.

Temperature-controlled storage in Savannah, Georgia

At the Lineage Port Wentworth warehouse, the grapes are one step closer to entering the US market. Located less than 5 miles from the port, Lineage Port Wentworth provides a strategic foothold into the immediate and surrounding areas, with the ability to reach East Coast markets in as little as 2 days. This temperature-controlled warehouse helps preserve and maintain freshness while meeting regulatory standards. Beyond that, Lineage provides other value-added supply chain solutions to meet customer needs.

Value added solutions at Lineage Port Wentworth include:

• USDA customs bonded warehousing
• Precooling
• Recold treatment certified
• Fumigation
• Repack/bagging

Final mile distribution to U.S. grocery and retail buyers

When a customer places an order through Lineage Link®, our team gets to work preparing the shipment. Pallets are pulled from storage, staged for loading and shipped out to distribution centers. From there, the grapes fan out across the country until they land where shoppers expect to see them: piled high in the produce aisle.

Keeping grapes fresh every step of the way

From a vineyard in Ica to coolers in Savannah, Port Wentworth, every step of the journey is about timing, temperature and trust. Lineage’s global network and integrated cold chain services help growers and retailers deliver fresh grapes to customers who may never know just how far their fruit has traveled.