Sekoya looks to extend premium blueberry supply across China’s growing regions

China’s blueberry industry is expanding beyond the low-chill production regions that have driven much of its recent growth. For Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.’s Sekoya platform, that creates a new opportunity: combining varieties suited to different climates and harvest windows to help growers supply premium-quality blueberries across more of the year.

Fall Creek will bring that story to Asia Fruit Logistica, Sept. 2-4 in Hong Kong, where the company will meet with growers, marketers and retailers at Stand 3-3H41.

Image courtesy of Fall Creek

Sekoya Pop ‘FCM14-052’ is already established in Yunnan, China’s principal low-chill blueberry production region. Sekoya Pop was developed for zero- and low-chill environments and produces early to mid-season fruit, depending on growing conditions and management. Its adaptability and ability to respond to different pruning schedules also give growers flexibility in planning production windows.

Now, the platform is looking at how mid- and high-chill genetics can complement that production as China’s blueberry industry develops in other regions and climates.

“China is not one blueberry-growing environment, and that is what makes the opportunity so interesting,” said Mark David, vice president and general manager for the platform. “Sekoya Pop has already demonstrated what premium Sekoya fruit can deliver in low-chill production. The next step is to look at how varieties developed for mid- and high-chill conditions can complement that season and help growers deliver a more consistent supply of premium blueberries grown in China.”

Sekoya: From low chill to high chill

That progression starts with Sekoya Pop, the established zero- and low-chill variety, and continues with mid- and high-chill production of platform varieties such as Crunch ‘FC13-083’, Grande ‘FC13-122’, Fiesta ‘FC13-113’, and Nova ‘FC15-173’.

Sekoya Crunch is an early-season variety adapted to mid- and high-chill environments. Its fruit combines firmness, size, and a sweet, aromatic flavor, while retaining its characteristic crunch through extended cold storage.

Fiesta moves the window later. Developed as a high-chill variety, it produces large, firm fruit with a sweet, aromatic flavor in the late season. Fall Creek evaluations have also shown strong fruit quality through as many as 60 days in cold storage.

Image courtesy of Fall Creek

Sekoya Nova, the latest high-chill variety released to the platform, further complements the portfolio and its longer-term potential in China.  Sekoya Nova combines very large fruit with strong firmness and storage performance, including the ability to maintain fruit quality through extended cold storage.

Together, the varieties illustrate how the platform is approaching the longer-term China opportunity: not around a single variety or production region, but around genetics that can serve different growing conditions and harvest periods while maintaining the fruit quality expected from the Sekoya platform.

For Chinese consumers, that consistency matters. Fall Creek’s 2026 Global Fresh Blueberry Consumer Study found that 74% of surveyed consumers in four Tier 1 Chinese cities buy blueberries at least weekly, 76% choose blueberries over other berries, and 57 percent prefer large or jumbo fruit. Nearly half, 48%, said variety names influence their purchase decisions, while 21% already recognized the Sekoya name.

“By bringing together zero-, low-, mid- and high-chill genetics, we can support customers across a much broader range of production environments and harvest windows,” said Toni Yue, vice president and general manager for China. “Combined with our technical and commercial support, that diversified portfolio gives growers more options to build toward a reliable, year-round supply of premium blueberries for Chinese consumers.”

Image courtesy of Fall Creek

While the mid- and high-chill varieties will not be showcased at Asia Fruit Logistica because their production seasons do not coincide with the event, visitors to the Fall Creek stand will be able to taste Sekoya Pop fruit produced in Peru.

Asia Fruit Logistica will give customers and industry partners an opportunity to meet the Fall Creek team and learn more about the continued development of Sekoya in China, including the role of Pop today and the potential for Crunch, Grande, Fiesta and Nova as production expands into additional growing regions.

*All images courtesy of Fall Creek.

Related stories

Fall Creek moves beyond blueberries with Berryplant and Berrytech acquisition

Fall Creek introduces Apex, a new blueberry variety coming to disrupt the early- to mid-season