Bakersfield, CALIFORNIA USA – El Ciruelo S.L. of Murcia, Spain has been appointed to market new plums, peaches, apricots and nectarines developed by Sun World International, LLC. The Spanish company’s license enables it to pack and market fruit from the new stonefruit varieties grown by licensed Sun World producers throughout Europe, Vice President of International Licensing Johan Jooste announced here last week.
At this point in time El Ciruelo is the only existing marketer licensee of Sun World table grape varieties in Spain and the appointment is the first (and to date the only) Sun World stonefruit license issued in Spain where the Company believes its varieties are well-suited for production in a Mediterranean environment.
“El Ciruelo is an excellent fruit producer and packer. Their leadership role in the Spanish fruit industry, along with their extensive UK and Continental European client base, will only strengthen Sun World’s international licensing platform and the visibility of our varieties and brands throughout Europe,” Jooste said.
Within Europe, El Ciruelo joins two Italian fruit companies, Agrointesa and Apofruit Italia, as Sun World stonefruit marketers. There are now 15 marketing companies worldwide that hold Sun World stonefruit licenses.
The stonefruit to be marketed includes a range of red and yellow flesh black plums comprising the BLACK DIAMOND® and BLACK GIANT® brand lines, red plums comprising the RED DIAMOND® and RED GIANT® brand lines, early-ripening peaches bearing the AMBER CREST® brand, early nectarines bearing the SUPER STAR® line and early-ripening high blush apricots comprising the HONEYCOT® brand line. These premium stonefruit products, along with a companion line of seedless table grapes, are developed at Sun World’s California-based Variety Development Center.
Sun World has established a fruit licensing program that involves more than 1,000 producers and leading marketing companies in most of the world’s major fruit-growing regions. Its new variety development work focuses on a full range of fresh plums, apricots, nectarines and peaches with enhanced flavor, earlier and later ripening capability and increased productivity.
Sun World, a longstanding U.S.-based producer and marketer of fresh fruit, operates one of the world’s largest table grape and stonefruit breeding programs. Since its inception in the mid- 1970s, the Company’s Variety Development Center has released more than 70 new varieties with improved flavor, size, color, shelf-life and extended seasonality. In addition to production on its own California properties, Sun World and/or its licensees grow these proprietary varieties in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe, South America, Israel and South Africa.
Sun World is a leading innovator in the research, production, distribution and promotion of fresh produce. The Company maintains integrated agricultural operations throughout central and southeastern California. More information about Sun World is available at www.sun-world.com.
Source: Sun World