Redeva was formed in September last year as Redbridge Holdings, the UK's leading produce and flowers supplier, sought to establish a research and development arm to help it produce new berry varieties.
The company is already well on the way to finding several new varieties of strawberries, which it is hoped will extend the growing season in the UK, through an entirely natural selection process.
The company, which was one of the star attractions at the Dundee Flower and Food Festival last week, has this year grown 17,000 seedlings from the cross-pollination of some leading strawberry varieties. It is currently undertaking a selection process at a growing programme in Hull which it is hoped will lead to the discovery of at least one or two new premium varieties.
Redeva is aiming to shorten the normal nine to 14 year period it takes for a new strawberry plant to be produced, by bringing in new selections from an Israeli breeding programme acquired by Redbridge Holdings, and hopes to have a new variety in the next couple of years.
Ronnie McNicol, managing director of Redeva, says: “We firmly believe that you can produce beautiful berries that you can have on your table 365 days a year through a totally natural process. We are very confident that our breeding programme is on track.”
Over the Dundee festival weekend, the Redeva team tasted berries with over 2,500 people. The team is also part of the Berry Scotland programme that aims to increase the consumption of Scottish soft fruit in Scotland for the benefit of health.
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