First commercially produced Chinese Envy apples to be sold in China
T&G Global’s dual-hemisphere multi-sourcing strategy for its premium Envy apple brand is set to reach a new milestone with the first commercially produced Chinese Envy apples to be sold in China in November 2023.
T&G Global chief executive, Gareth Edgecombe, said the opportunity for Envy in China is significant and growing a managed commercial volume there is an important part of its growth strategy.
“The Envy brand is used in conjunction with a premium branded apple with an exceptional taste, which many New Zealanders may not be familiar with. It was developed here in Aotearoa by harnessing New Zealand-IP and is on track to become a billion-dollar brand,” said Edgecombe.
“To meet forecast consumer demand of 18 million tray carton equivalents by 2030, we need to maximise our multi-country sourcing strategy across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. That’s why we license the growing of Envy in Aotearoa New Zealand and in other countries, including now China. Doing this helps ensure the continual availability of this premium brand and that consumers and retailers have confidence in the legitimacy and quality of the fruit.
“Initially, we are working with Joy Wing Mau, who were granted a license in 2018 to grow and sell a managed commercial volume of Envy in China, and it’s these volumes which will soon appear on-shelf in China.”
A key part of T&G’s Envy strategy is protecting the brand’s IP and Edgecombe said the company has and will continue to take a proactive approach to safeguarding.
“Growing the brand’s footprint requires us to ensure we have the right protections in place to vigorously protect and defend our IP for the benefit of breeders, growers, retailers and T&G. This is something we’ve always done and will continue to do through plant variety rights, patents and trademarks, and with the support of leading intellectual property law firms both in New Zealand and offshore,” said Edgecombe.
T&G’s variety management subsidiary, VentureFruit, leads and manages the licensing of all T&G’s plant varieties and brands, as well as leading action against any unauthorised plantings, propagation, counterfeiting and trademark infringements.
