Family Tree Farms retains exclusive rights to programme’s original varieties as partnership evolves
Family Tree Farms has celebrated more than a decade of collaboration with Mountain Blue Orchards (MBO) as the partnership enters a new phase.
The US-headquartered grower-packer-marketer started its relationship with the Australian-based breeding programme in 2008 with a handshake agreement, which has since evolved into a partnership that helped introduce high-quality blueberry varieties across global markets.
While MBO is expanding access to additional licensed grower partnerships, Family Tree Farms will continue to hold exclusive rights to the programme’s original premier varieties, making the company a cornerstone partner in the continued development of the MBO portfolio, said VP of sales and marketing, Doug LaCroix.
“We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built alongside Mountain Blue Orchards over the past 18 years,” said LaCroix.
“Together, we’ve introduced varieties that consumers know and love, while creating a model focused on flavour, performance, and long-term sustainability. This next chapter creates opportunities for continued growth while preserving the strong partnership that has made the program successful.”
Family Tree Farms remains one of the largest and most experienced growers of MBO varieties worldwide, with production spanning key growing regions throughout California, Mexico, and Peru. The company’s extensive expertise with the genetics and international footprint helps provide dependable supply and year-round availability to retailers.
As part of the industry’s ongoing evolution, Family Tree Farms is also expanding its evaluation of additional breeding programmes and emerging genetics. This strategy will strengthen supply continuity, improve regional adaptability, and create new opportunities to meet the growing demand for premium blueberries across global markets.
“We view this as an opportunity,” said Ryan Howard, North American sales director at Family Tree Farms.
“Our commitment remains the same: delivering the most flavourful fruit possible while ensuring our customers have reliable supply and access to the best genetics available.”
Family Tree Farms will continue working closely with MBO on future varietal development while maintaining its focus on bringing innovative, flavour-driven fruit to consumers worldwide.
“Our relationship with Mountain Blue Orchards remains incredibly strong,” added LaCroix. “The success of this programme has always been about collaboration, and we’re excited for what the future holds.”
