New agreement will see Joy Wing Mau plant 300ha of the hot climate apple
VentureFruit has announced a major step in the global expansion of Tutti apples, the world’s first apple specifically bred to tolerate hot climates, with the appointment of a new exclusive growing and sales partner in China.
Under the new agreement, one of China’s leading fruit grower-marketer-exporters, Joy Wing Mau, will plant 300ha of Tutti apples.
Morgan Rogers, VentureFruit general manager, said the license is another milestone for the partnership and a significant step towards the goal of expanding the Tutti apple programme to 1,200ha globally by 2030.
“Joy Wing Mau’s scale, expertise in growing, and market reach, makes them an ideal partner to introduce Tutti apples to China,” Rogers said. “As one of China’s largest produce companies, with world-class sales, marketing and logistics expertise, Joy Wing Mau will be a valued addition to the global Tutti apples network and this collaboration will accelerate the brand’s momentum in Asia.”
Since its launch in February 2023, Tutti apples have expanded rapidly, with over 900ha now licensed across Spain, Latin America, China and the United Kingdom.
Joy Wing Mau was founded in 1998 with the mission of “Better Fruit, Better Life”. Today, the company’s supply chain spans over 300 cities in China, servicing over 40 wholesale markets, more than 10,000 retail outlets and 25,000 fruit specialty stores, alongside five leading e-commerce platforms.
You Wenzhe, Joy Wing Mau fruit technology corporation general manager, said that as part of the company’s refreshed strategy, Joy Wing Mau is investing in new apple genetics and production with a strong focus on supplying our customers in China.
“Selecting apples that will perform well in an increasingly volatile climate is key for Joy Wing Mau as we continue to encounter hot summers and associated production challenges,” You said. “Since first seeing the test blocks in Spain, we have been impressed with the Hot Climate Partnership and are absolutely delighted to be partnering with VentureFruit and their global team to develop Tutti apples in China.”
This appointment strengthens the existing relationship between Joy Wing Mau and T&G’s plant variety commercialisation and management service VentureFruit, with Joy Wing Mau serving as the sole licensed grower and marketer of T&G’s premium Envy apples in China.
“Globally, we are seeing constant reminders of the need for climate-resilient varieties, with the increased frequency of intense weather events continuing to impact production in both hemispheres,” Rogers explained. “Innovative apple and pear varieties from the Hot Climate Partnership, such as Tutti, are enabling growers to meet these challenges while delivering an outstanding consumer experience and preference.”
Rogers called Tutti a “stand out apple” saying it had been validated through production trials and multiple years of consumer research.
“It has been specifically bred to thrive in hot conditions, producing a deliciously light, crisp apple, with bright red skin and a rounded sweet flavour; with notes of honey, melon and florals,” Rogers said. “Tutti apples are expanding globally through a network of exceptional partners in a peer-to-peer collaboration. We are thrilled with the innovative apple’s remarkable progress in its first two years.”
Joy Wing Mau joins a growing global network of Tutti apple licensees in the programme, including Copefrut S.A. (Latin America), T&G Global’s United Kingdom subsidiary, Worldwide Fruit (United Kingdom), and FruitFutur (Catalonia).
