The first quantities of new pear variety Cheeky arrived in the UK from South Africa last week.
The blush pear has been grown by Wolseley Fruit Packers in the Western Cape and arrived on the MOL Caledon last week, to be trialled in the UK non-commercially.
Cheeky was bred by the Agriculture Research Council of South Africa as a cross between several varieties and will not be available commercially for several years.
Chris Rowe, managing director of DG Fruit, which received the product, told freshinfo: “It is a brand-new variety and we are very much looking for it to fit into the mid-season blush pear gap, from March to May.
“It will fit in nicely after Rosemarie and Flamingo have finished, especially as it keeps its colour much longer than those two, and before Forelle enters the market.”
With its strong brand name, Cheeky is likely to be a hit in the UK market, according to Rowe. He said: “Blush pears are becoming more and more popular and there is a definite spot for a new variety. If you look at Forelle, we are oversubscribed and we anticipate the market will be similar for Cheeky.”
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