Fall Creek to present new high-chill blueberry variety at Fruit Logistica 2026
Global leading blueberry farm and nursery, Fall Creek, will introduce a new high-chill blueberry variety at Fruit Logistica 2026. Under the name SEKOYA® Nova ‘FC15-173, the fruit features distinct quality and production advantages designed for mid-late season growing regions. The company says this new cultivar completes the SEKOYA portfolio for year-round premium blueberry supply.
“Growers are being asked to deliver greater consistency in packouts, firmness, shelf life, and harvest efficiency, while navigating tighter labor conditions and higher quality expectations,” said Fall Creek Chief Commercial Officer Paul Nselel. “SEKOYA Nova directly addresses these priorities for mid-late season production, completing our year-round SEKOYA offering."
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The blueberry expert will be at the event between February 4 and 6, exhibiting in Hall 1.2, Stand B-50, where it'll also feature select Fall Creek Collection® varieties spanning multiple chill zones, including KeplerBlue® ‘FCM12-038,’ AzraBlue® ‘FCM14-031,’ ArabellaBlue® ‘FC14-062,’ and LoretoBlue® ‘FC11-118,’ along with pipeline genetics and trial momentum tied to mechanical harvestability and regional adaptability.
"At Fruit Logistica, we'll demonstrate how our breeding and applied research are translating into varieties that perform in the field and protect eating quality through the supply chain,” Nselel concluded.
A closer look into Fall Creek's SEKOYA Nova ‘FC15-173’
According to Fall Creek evaluation results, SEKOYA Nova ‘FC15-173’ has demonstrated a combination of fruit size distribution and postharvest performance that differentiates it from many high-chill blueberry varieties currently in commercial production.
In trials, the variety has shown shelf life and storability exceeding 60 days while maintaining fruit quality, compared with the roughly 45-day storage window typical of many newer high-chill releases.
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Fruit size distribution has also been a key point of differentiation. Approximately 80 percent of ‘FC15-173’ fruit has exceeded 18 millimetres in diameter, a significantly higher proportion than the 20 to 50 percent commonly observed in comparable high-chill varieties.
The cultivar has also demonstrated concentrated ripening, supporting more efficient harvest planning in mid- to late-season production regions.
“What’s stood out in our evaluations is how consistently ‘FC15-173’ holds quality through extended storage,” said SEKOYA Vice President and General Manager Mark David. “That kind of shelf life, combined with a high proportion of larger fruit, gives growers more flexibility in harvest timing and helps protect eating quality further down the supply chain.”
*Main image courtesy of Fall Creek.
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