US fresh produce group Sun World International has announced that it has appointed Spanish company El Ciruelo as a licensee to market new plums, peaches, apricots and nectarines that it develops.
The Murcia-based company's license allows it to pack and market fruit from the new stonefruit varieties grown by licensed Sun World producers across Europe, according to vice-president of international licensing Johan Jooste.
According to Sun World, El Ciruelo is the only existing marketer licensee of its table grape varieties in Spain, with the appointment the first Sun World stonefruit license issued in Spain, where the group said it believed its varieties were well-suited for production.
'El Ciruelo is an excellent fruit producer and packer,' said Jooste. '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.'
El Ciruelo joins two Italian fruit companies, Agrointesa and Apofruit Italia, as Sun World stonefruit marketers in Europe, with a total of 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.
