A new organization has been set up in China that aims to maximize the commercial development of controlled fruit varieties with a new business model.

Top Fruit Cub says it integrates the strongest resources in all links of the Chinese fruit industry chain, including in intellectual property management, nursery production, technical support, growing, and marketing.

It was co-founded by five companies - Shennong Variety Management Ltd (SVM), Shandong Salver Agriculture Co. Ltd (Salver), Shandong Best Fruit Technology Ltd (Best Fruit), Sweet Fruit Ltd (Sweet Fruit), and Joy Wing Mau Fruit Technolgy Co. Ltd (JWM Technology). 

The main fruit categories the club will be developing are apples, pears, cherries and grapes.

"The establishment of the Top Fruit Club is an important milestone in the introduction and commercialization of premium fruit varieties into China," the organization said.

"This highly committed group of companies have agreed to work together to offer the greatest level of protection for the selected premium fruit varieties and provide a closed loop solution to their commercialization."

It added that each company will work together to support the proprietary selection from variety importation and protection, professional fruit tree production, large scale orchard construction, standardized technical support for modern orchards, backed up by specialized distribution and marketing programs.

"Each company brings specialist knowledge that can enhance the work of others.  In doing so many of the risks of developing new plant material can be mitigated between the parties," it said.

"Sharing knowledge and a commitment to quality means the Top Fruit Club are well placed to capitalize on the range of novel proprietary selections being developed under license from Shennong Variety Management."

Shennong Variety Management (SVM) is a New Zealand Company that has been working in China since 2006.  SVM recently set up a wholly foreign-owned enterprise in China called Shenzhen SVM Variety  Management to help fast track its variety development plans.  SVM is constantly evaluating new plant material to test the commercial opportunity in China.

Joy Wing Mau has a shareholding in SVM.  It is strategically placed to provide a strong distribution and marketing program, with 14 wholesale markets nationwide, distribution of 2,000 tons of quality fruits every day, serving 5,000 supermarkets and 10,000 fruit stores.  Joy Wing Mau delivers fresh & safe fruit to over 10 million consumers.

Salver is a leading fruit tree nursery and research center with three production sites in China. SVM and Salver have worked together to produce proprietary trees for sale.

Sweet Fruit have developed several large scale, modern orchards in China and have joined the Top Fruit Club to gain access to exclusive premium plant material that can enhance their fruit offering. 

Best Fruit are the technical experts on fruit growing and will support the Sweet Fruit Company to grow fruit under intensive planting systems.

The first proprietary varieties are under development now with a range of material being considered for future production plans.