Attack of the grape tomatoes

The year was 2001, and grape tomatoes were taking the country by storm. The Washington Post took notice, publishing this feature that explored some of the ups and downs of grape tomato expansion. Now, as then, the grape tomato is a consumer favorite. Shippers I talked with this week told me the item is no longer a specialty, however. It is a commodity that growers can easily lose money on, owing to high labor costs. Look for upcoming coverage in The Packer, and get this look at the sobering difference in prices between last year and this year for grape tomatoes.