Produce industry marketplace ProducePay and table grape giant Four Star Fruit have joined forces to debut a direct-to-retail (D2C) supply program, iGrow reports.

The initiative seeks to help the industry meet year-round supply while keeping consumer prices stable.

The model will directly connect table grape growers and retailers, thus eliminating any intermediaries.

This would also help fight economic and food waste, both major issues in the fresh produce supply chain.

Related articles: OPS: Lasering weeds and other developments

“Meeting retailer demand for year-round high-quality table grapes consistently in an increasingly unpredictable world requires reimagining how we grow and source,” said Four Star Fruit CEO Jack Campbell.

Four Star Fruit is set to extend its operations by leveraging ProducePay’s network of trusted Mexican and South American growers. 

This is expected to expand production capacity into the late fall and winter.

“By directly connecting retailers with growers, this transformational initiative is creating the stability required throughout the supply chain to reduce economic and food waste, while improving the overall quality experience for consumers,” said Patrick McCullough, ProducePay CEO.

This new model hopes to ensure quality, supply, traceability and pricing assurance for retailers, while also providing growers with greater financial sustainability.