Italian company Sanifrutta has just launched a new bicolor apple variety, Lilibet, promising “excellent” shelf-life and storage capacity. The firm holds an exclusive, countrywide license for the apple.

The cultivar, developed through the firm’s partnership with the Italian Consortium of Nurseries (CIV), can be harvested up to five days earlier than the popular Gala variety. Lilibet is characterized by its “bright red color and particularly sweet, crunchy, and juicy flesh,” Sanifrutta said.

Additionally, Lilibet promises to be an “easy to grow” variety, as its breeders seek to address production challenges such as climate change and distribution.

“Lilibet presents various characteristics that make it suitable for the challenges of agriculture and finds an ideal area in the foothill crops where the bright red color of the fruit stands out,” said Alex Tallone, Head of the Technical Office and Technological Development at Sanifrutta

The newly launched variety also displays good scab resistance, aimed at improving sustainability for farmers.

"This variety performs well from a taste point of view and is particularly attractive, with a great advantage in entering the apple market early," Sanifrutta CEO Eraldo Barale stated.

The collaboration with Sanifrutta will allow both companies to leverage each other's strengths for more efficient and rapid joint development, with a consequent improvement in agronomic and production results.

“The partnership with Sanifrutta was born from the idea of ​​developing a project capable of bringing tangible innovation to the apple sector. Lilibet immediately proved to be the right apple for this purpose,” CIV Commercial Director Federico Stanzani added.

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