After 11 years of breeding work, a new range of interspecific plum and apricot hybrids, as well as baby plums, has hit the market. The objective is to add value and stand out within the stone fruit segment. These are the IberPlum® and BabyPlum® range of varieties, already internationally registered trademarks.
"Our company was founded in Spain with the goal of filling a gap in the plum market with flavors, firmness and a diversity of fruit types," says David Nogueroles, co-owner, together with his brother Juan, of Ibergen Frutales, who have accumulated a great deal of professional experience.
"Our main objective has always been to obtain varieties with good firmness and a variety of skin and pulp colors, but, above all, with a very good flavor, which was not often found in traditional plums," he says. "But, after 11 years of breeding work in San Rafael del Río, in the province of Castellón, and in Caspe, in the province of Zaragoza, where our 11 hectares of experimental fields are located, we have managed to obtain a group of varieties that are available from June to October. These all have great firmness and an outstanding flavor."
Ibergen's varieties can be sorted into two groups:
IberPlum®
This is a range of interspecific plum and apricot hybrids that cover the entire season with different skin and pulp colors.
"Our goal is for the consumer to have a satisfying, as well as a surprising experience when tasting our varieties, and that is why we strive for them to have high sugar contents, close to 20 degrees Brix, with exotic and surprising flavors combined with a great firmness," says David Nogueroles. "The IberPlum concept takes plums to a premium market level."
BabyPlum®
"Rather than a small plum, this is a new concept: a crunchy, hard, juicy and sweet fruit. An ideal snack for children and adults, with a variety of flavors and skin and pulp colors, as well as an extensive calendar that covers the entire season," says the breeder. "The most outstanding feature is its excellent flavor, with a Brix ranging between 20º and 25º and a hardness of 3 kg."
According to David Nogueroles, trends in the demand, both at national and international level, are based on flavor. "Our tasty and sweet varieties, which also offer great firmness, perfectly meet these objectives. This has been confirmed to us by large distribution chains and high-end supermarkets, as well as by consumers who have tasted the fruits."
"Our goal is for the consumer to enjoy a unique and surprising experience when tasting our varieties. Four varieties have been patented to date and others are awaiting registration. Despite being a new, little advertised program, 20 hectares of the IberPlum® range have already been planted in Spain and experimental agreements have been made with France, Italy, Chile and South Africa," says David Nogueroles.
For more information:
David Nogueroles Barkley
Ibergen Frutales S. L.
M: +34 676362360
[email protected]
www.ibergen.es
