VentureFruit, A company dedicated to the management and marketing of plant varieties is expanding its activities in the category of berries in North America. The company announced the introduction of its genetics of blueberries and Rubus in the region, supported by a network of trials at 14 sites located in Canada, Oregon, California, and Washington. It also reported that it signed a strategic partnership with California Giant Berry Farms.

Morgan rogersVentureFruit's general manager explained that "Within our portfolio, we have raspberries, blackberries, and new generation boysenberries (known as Rubus varieties) and blueberries “These are elite mid-to-high-end cold-weather varieties. This genetic line provides consumers with flavorful, firm fruit, while also giving growers higher-performing, market-ready varieties for the traditionally scarce shoulder seasons,” Rogers noted.

As part of its North American strategy, VentureFruit established a relationship with California Giant to support business development and market access. “Partnering with California Giant is the next critical step in VentureFruit’s plan for the Americas, as they provide commercial scale and market access to accelerate the successful introduction of our premium genetics in North America,” said Rogers.

Along those lines, he added that the company has licensed a selection of new premium varieties to California Giant, developed through its joint breeding partnership with the New Zealand Institute of Bioeconomy Sciences (formerly Plant & Food Research), which he described as a global leader in plant breeding. “Initial plant orders are expected to begin this year,” he stated.

For its part, Joe BarsiThe president and CEO of California Giant Berry Farms, emphasized the importance of supporting growers within the company's strategy. “At California Giant, our priority is to support the long-term success of our grower partners. This means promoting genetics that offer the high quality blueberries and the excellent flavor consumers expect, while ensuring high yields, disease resilience, and sustainable profitability for growers. As the category becomes more competitive, access to differentiated, high-yielding varieties is essential. Partnering with VentureFruit strengthens our ability to develop genetics that will help growers thrive and sustain the North American blueberry category into the future,” said Barsi.

According to the company, the varieties in its berry program undergo rigorous evaluations for agronomic performance and fruit quality. Over the past year, VentureFruit has introduced 20 advanced berry selections in the United States, South America, Europe, and China.