A new citrus fruit is born. The ALIZZA Fruit™ is a mandarin and pummelo hybrid developed by the prestigious Volcani Institute in Israel, managed exclusively by Genesis Innovation and cultivated in Spain by the multinational agritech company AM FRESH Group.
"The ALIZZA Fruit is characterized by its large size, a very attractive orange-yellow color, smooth and thin skin and a melting pulp with a truly unique flavor, that also stands out for the total absence of seeds and, above all, its incredible quantity of juice, something that, without exception, systematically surprises all consumers every time they enjoy it," explains David Alba, director of Genesis Innovation.
It can be harvested mainly between the months of December and March in the citrus growing areas of the northern hemisphere. "At the moment, the intention is to produce it mainly in Spain and South Africa, thus ensuring the presence of this fruit on the shelves both in our winter and summer seasons," says David Alba.
"This new fruit is so unique and special that it has been selected to pay tribute and honor the memory of the Israeli scientist Aliza Vardi, who was a truly extraordinary woman, a true visionary and one of the best breeders of citrus varieties in history", says Patricia Sagarminaga," Group Director Marketing and Communications of AM FRESH Group.
"Considered by many as the savior of Israel's citrus industry, the importance of her work and scientific contribution goes much further, since many of the varieties that emerged from her breeding program are nowadays successfully farmed by growers and enjoyed by millions of consumers worldwide."
The ALIZZA Fruit is launching right now in the UK, Germany and Spain. "In this first year, our priority is to drive availability in as many markets as possible to excite consumers and deliver a new extraordinary experience in citrus. We have launched the www.thealizzafruit.com and the Instagram account @thealizzafruit with a consumer survey to collect as much qualitative information as possible. This consumer survey is essential for us to gather feedback from consumers about our new citrus jewel and is in substitution of the in-store sampling activations which were parked as the pandemic is preventing us from inviting shoppers to sample The ALIZZA Fruit at each point of sale," points out Patricia.
"We are facing a completely new fruit that is going to revolutionize the citrus category, surprising and captivating consumers from different international markets", says David Alba. "Never before has a citrus fruit combined such a size, such a differential organoleptic quality and the incredible amount of juice that The ALIZZA Fruit possesses. Its flavor is difficult to describe, bringing together characteristics reminiscent of the sweetness of mandarins (with tropical notes as in the case of the Orri mandarin, with which it shares a parent), the texture of oranges and a hint of grapefruit. Without a doubt, what will surprise consumers the most is the amount of juice that can be easily extracted from each fruit, with the added advantage that they will not find seeds."
On the other hand, according to David Alba, The ALIZZA Fruit hides other secrets beyond its excellent organoleptic characteristics, as this fruit has really interesting attributes that differentiate it. In this sense, the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants of Valencia (IBMCP) has carried out different analyses that confirm, at in vitro level, a high antibacterial and antimicrobial activity of its juice against bacteria of the Pseudomonas genus (cause of diseases in the respiratory tract and responsible for almost half of pneumonias in humans), with its efficacy being practically half that of the commercial antibiotic tetracycline in in vitro laboratory tests.
"According to these analyses, The ALIZZA Fruit juice would therefore act as a good natural antibacterial potential. What's more, the IBMCP analyses have also confirmed the absence of furanocoumarins in this fruit, not being, in principle, contraindicated for the segment of the population that is consuming medication incompatible with the consumption of grapefruits," highlights David Alba.
"Given the fantastic quality attributes that The ALIZZA Fruit presents, its ease and versatility of consumption in a wide range of formats and the unique characteristics of this new fruit, we believe that its consumption will occur in adult and young generations alike and that it will be extremely attractive in all international markets."
The ALIZZA Fruit will be sold in three supermarket chains: Marks & Spencer (UK), Edeka (Germany) and Eroski (Spain). "We have designed a very attractive brand as an homage to its creator and we strive to evoke The ALIZZA Fruit's cheerful taste and boundless sensorial experience through our branding. We have given The ALIZZA Fruit great prominence on digital platforms together with its premium packaging design which will be available across hundreds stores in three European launch markets. We are excited and proud to invite consumers to discover and taste truly innovative premium citrus fruits, creating a point of differentiation through new sensory and organoleptic experiences," says Patricia Sagarminaga.
At the moment, AM FRESH Group is producing this variety exclusively in Spain. "However, we are working with collaborating companies both in Spain and South Africa so that they can produce The ALIZZA Fruit and thus extend its campaign, always with a criterion for selecting areas with optimal soil and climatic conditions to ensure a consistent product of the highest quality for the consumer," concludes David Alba.
For more information:
David Alba
CEO
Genesis Innovation Group
dalba@citrusgenesis.com
citrusgenesis.com
Patricia Sagarminaga
Group Director Marketing & Communications
AM FRESH Group
patricia.sagarminaga@amfresh.com
www.amfresh.com