T&G launches new apple variety

T&G Global has launched Joli, a new global premium apple variety, which joins the company’s established portfolio of Envy and Jazz apple brands.

Joli, which global consumers will be able to enjoy from 2028 onwards, is the result of over ten years of innovation. Developed in New Zealand, Joli is a productive, large, full-flavoured bright red juicy apple with trees producing high yielding, high colour fruit.

T&G Global chief executive, Gareth Edgecombe, said Joli harnessed New Zealand’s great intellectual property and its addition to the company’s premium apple portfolio will help build a stronger horticulture sector.

“New Zealand has an enviable global reputation for innovating, developing and sourcing the world’s best plant genetics and growing world-class premium apples, and T&G’s growth strategy is focused on utilising this to create value for our growers, regional communities and economy. This is critical in order to succeed in what is a highly fragmented and commoditised global apple market,” said Edgecombe.

“The launch of Joli builds off the success of T&G’s premium Envy and Jazz brands, perfectly complementing them by appealing to a different group of global consumers.”

Edgecombe said Jolo would appeal to both consumers and growers around the globe.

“Joli is an outstanding apple with fantastic attributes. It’s a bright shiny large red apple, with a full-flavoured balanced sweetness, which bursts with juiciness. Joli’s size and taste profile make it a perfect everyday premium apple for sharing occasions,” said Edgecombe.

“For growers, Joli has very strong orcharding attributes, including high levels of output and the ability to grow throughout New Zealand. Furthermore, Joli’s harvest profile balances our premium Jazz and Envy brands, harvesting in mid to late March.”

Joli is the result of VentureFruit – T&G’s IP management and commercialisation business – working closely with innovation company Prevar and Plant & Food Research in New Zealand, who work in collaboration on the world-renowned pipfruit breeding programme, to deliver new varieties that meet both current and future market opportunities. 

“Over ten years of development by Plant & Food Research has resulted in this new variety. Using natural breeding techniques, they cultivated the plant material to develop its unique traits and worked with the likes of Prevar and our VentureFruit® team to conduct extensive growing trials to ensure the tree grows well in different environments, copes with various climatic conditions, produces great tasting fruit and that the fruit stores well,” said Edgecombe.

Prevar chief executive Tony Martin said Prevar was proud to play its part in developing the new variety.

“We are excited to be a part of this momentous milestone for T&G, VentureFruit and Prevar, as well as the New Zealand industry. We look forward to supporting the Joli brand’s global growth plans with ongoing technical support in partnership with Plant & Food Research.”

VentureFruit general manager Morgan Rogers said performed well on a range of key metrics.

“VentureFruit works closely with many global breeders, including Plant & Food Research, as they develop new apple varieties and other produce categories to address not only consumers’ preferences, but the performance of the variety against diseases, growing potential and post-harvest considerations, such as its ability to hold its quality and freshness - which is especially critical for Aotearoa’s horticultural export sector,” said Rogers.

“Joli was T&G’s pick for the next addition to its premium apple portfolio due to its excellent performance across the key metrics T&G values most.”

T&G is the global exclusive license holder for growing, marketing and selling the variety, which is branded as Joli, and plans to plant 27ha on its own orchards over the next three years.

T&G is also seeking expressions of interest from independent growers across Aotearoa New Zealand to be part of the commercial growing pilot. Over the next five to six years, as additional trees become available, T&G will extend the opportunity to growers in other countries.