Morocco’s Les Domaines Agricoles launched the new SweetCott mandarin variety at Fruit Logistica, describing it as a revolution for the category due to its sweet, juicy taste, late availability and long shelf-life
The product of a decade’s research from Morocco’s Les Domaines Agricoles, the brand-new SweetCott mandarin was launched at this month’s Fruit Logistica in Berlin, marketed as the “birth of a new legend” in the category.
According to marketing director Kenza Ouali, the new late-producing variety is a “sweet delight”, with multiple benefits for producers, consumers and retailers alike.
“For the consumer, there is a great taste balance between a high Brix level of 14-16 and a nice acidity,” she told Fruitnet. “The fruit has an amazing aroma and 20 per cent more juice than leading varieties. For the producer, this variety helps to extend the season by at least three weeks until the end of May.”
Retailers, she said, would cheer the fruit’s transportability and excellent shelf-life. “After picking, SweetCott can be stored for eight weeks without any alteration in the quality,” she revealed. “And the variety is beautiful-looking thanks to a vibrant orange colour and an attractive size and shape. SweetCott is classified as a low seed variety with up to 80 per cent seedless in open field and 100 per cent seedless under cover. It really is a revolution for the category.”
Production in Morocco is set to reach commercial volumes next season, according to Ouali. “We will be selling SweetCott everywhere,” she concluded. “Our main markets are the UK, North America, the EU and the Middle East.”
