Growers from more than 18 countries attend inauguration of state-of-the-art breeding facility for grapes, cherries and raisins
International fruit breeder, Bloom Fresh, inaugurated its state-of-the-art research and development facility north of Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday (20 August), hosting hundreds of growers hailing from 18 countries from around the world.
The US$14m complex, dubbed the ‘Discovery Center’ by the UK-based company, “will serve as a hub for the innovation, creation, and breeding of new table grapes, cherries and raisins,” according to a press release. The site includes 150 acres (60ha) of vineyards and orchards for testing new cultivars, 28,000ft² of laboratory space and 25,000ft² of greenhouses.
Attendees were taken on tours of vineyards, viewing some of Bloom Fresh’s most promising varieties, several of which are already branded with catchy monikers such as Bebop and Rugby while others are yet to be named. The company’s flagship variety, Cotton Candy, was available for tasting during the morning-long programme.
The Bloom Fresh complex had been under construction since 2021 by International Fruit Genetics, which Bloom Fresh acquired last year. CEO Josep Jove Estiarte said that merging the two fruit breeding giants has been an “interesting” experience.
“It’s a merger that is still ongoing,” Estiarte told Fruitnet. “The two companies naturally had different styles of operating and we’re working through it. But it’s been a fun challenge and we’re getting closer to realising our dream every day.”
Estiarte said several red table grape varieties are getting close to commercial release, which he believes will meet the requirements of an increasingly demanding marketplace.
“Consumer preferences continue to evolve and one of the things they are telling us is that they want more texture – or ‘crunchiness’ – in their grapes and we will soon be releasing varieties that deliver on this. Bloom Fresh also has several red-flesh varieties in development that are full of health-promoting antioxidants, which we are quite excited about.”
Sustainably grown produce is another market expectation. To that end, Bloom Fresh is working on table grape varieties that require far less use of agricultural chemicals.
“As much as 90 per cent less,” noted Estiarte. “Sustainability is one of our core objectives, as it is increasingly important to consumers. But using less chemicals will also be a great help to our growers who are struggling greatly with increased costs of production.”
