California-developed plumcots hit U.K. supermarket shelves - FreshFruitPortal.com

California-developed plumcots hit U.K. supermarket shelves

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California-developed plumcots hit U.K. supermarket shelves

A plum-apricot cross stonefruit branded as Metis is debuting in U.K. fresh produce aisles following successful sales in Europe. 

Launched by variety development companies France-based Star Fruits and Spainā€™s Rusticas Del Guadalquivir, the plumcot brand hits Britain for the first time, according to brand marketing specialist Corego.

Metis-branded fruit is grown in Italy, Spain and France by growers including Royal Zani, Minguzzi and Blue Whale, but the plumcot varieties behind the brand were originally developed by California-based Glen Bradford of BQ Genetics.

Plumcots come from natural cross-pollination, manual or by bees, and there is no genetic manipulation. The fruit is characterised by its sweet flavour, crisp and juicy texture, and mildly tart skin.

Metis comes in four categories - the juicy and deep red-coloured Oxy, yellow-flesh and red-skinned Tonic, an unusual mottled green-skinned Safari which has a sweet flavor, and the purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed Aroma.

According to Corego, the Metis plumcot comes from natural cross-pollination by bees using selected apricot pollen and plum bloom in the first step.

It said resulting varieties were then crossed with plum trees, eventually producing firmer and more flavorsome stone fruit, that was as juicy as a traditional plum but easier to eat.

ā€œThis mouth-watering new fruit is sure to be a hit with UK consumers. Not only does it offer a consistently great eating experience, but itā€™s easier to eat and a lot more durable, meaning itā€™s great for lunch boxes and on-the-go snacking. With four to choose from, there is sure to be a Metis everyone will love,ā€ says Michelle Toft, chief marketing officer at Coregeo.

ā€œWeā€™re really excited to be bringing this new brand to the UK market; we see huge potential for growth both here and across Europe. Metis is the product of extensive work by Glen Bradford and his son-in-law Jon Quisenberry, guided by the fact that consumersā€™ tastes are constantly evolving, especially in the fresh produce aisle.

ā€œWe know consumers are always on the lookout for exciting new fruit, and weā€™re sure Metis will catch their eye and deliver on flavour to secure repeat purchase.ā€

With high expectations for the Metis stonefruit, the group is looking to build a long-term strategy for the fruit and is working with growers in the Southern Hemisphere to boost production and work towards a year-round supply.

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