Vanguard International has pointed to the improvements in its Total Quality Management (TQM) table grape operations in Peru.

It cites TQM's importance in supplying grapes year-round to customers in over 25 countries.

“Between expanding operations in Peru, and partnering with Sun World Innovations to add their top-quality grape varieties…it was clear that quality management of our program would be critical”, said Dirk Winkelmann, business development officer of Vanguard International and president of Vanguard Direct. 

Vanguard International acquired Ica-based Agricola Challapampa in April 2016. In Dec. 2018 it began shipping table grapes from the country.

It saw the packinghouse in Ica as a step in improving its process of handling, storing and shipping fruit.

Further, the facility allowed the company to improve cooling and chain control.

Varieties of grapes exported from Vanguard Peru include patented seedless green, red and black cultivars.

Vanguard's TQM operations since 2016

Peru’s TQM team monitors the quality and efficiency of operations. This begins, details Vanguard Peru, with plant installation. From that point, the process oversees plant growth, farming, harvest, packaging, storage and dispatch.

Over the years, the company has invested heavily in TQM to ensure quality and efficiency.

Among those include a new digital recording system and the implementation of software responsible for loading and container control.

It also says a high-tech data house has been central to the program.

Manuel Yzaga, president of Vanguard Peru, said: “Errors or inefficiencies are identified immediately and communicated through a chain of command as quickly as possible.” 

Lastly, it claims these changes have helped maintained Vanguard as a "reliable pillar in the seedless grape market".