The heads of French nursery Pepinières Grard, Olivier and Alexandre Grard, announced the new name of their company last month at an event organised in their new packhouse in Mudaison.
In front of an audience of more than 150 people, the ‘Gradilis’ name was unveiled, in addition to the strategy behind the new entity.
Having been known for more than 20 years as a nursery for apples, pears and plums, Gradilis now intends to put research and varietal creation at the heart of its new development strategy.
In order to respond to societal issues, including the environment and consumer health, as well as challenges to agricultural production such as economic profitability and mechanisation in the orchards, Gradilis will offer apple varieties with a range of genetic resistance, including against scab, powdery mildew and aphids.
The company’s Ypsilon concept involves the formation of double-axis fruit trees in just nine months and is fully in keeping with the challenge of creating the 'orchard of tomorrow'.
Gradilis is a partner of Novadi in France and a shareholder in ABCZ Group internationally, with a wide range of apples, including Gradisca, Gradirose, Story and Mandy, pears, notably QTee, and plums such as TC Sun and October Sun.
The Gradilis holding company owns several subsidiaries in France, including Gradilis Research, Gradilis Pépinières, Gradilis Production and Gradilis Elevage, and also operates internationally through its commercial offices in Spain (Lleida) and Morocco (Fez).
