Cepuna cov is poised to become a serious addition to the pear sector. The first trees are in the ground, and the first really significant numbers will be planted in 2015 and 2016. Urs Luder of GKE NV has a lot of faith in the Cepuna. “This pear has exactly the profile we were looking for.”
Long shelf lifeThe new pear, according to Urs, is an excellent addition to the Conference, which has a monopoly position in Belgium and the Netherlands. “Particularly in terms of storability we can score with this pear. Both in cooling in the warehouse and on the market and at the consumer, the Cepuna has a longer shelf life than the Conference. This also provides more opportunities in terms of export.” The green pear has a smooth skin and a beautiful shape and fruit size. “The medium-sized pear also has firm flesh that also remains firm and juicy when the pear is ripe. A Conference has melting flesh when it is fully ripe, but you can keep eating a Cepuna out of your hand. A big advantage for the consumer, because you don’t have to eat all the pears at once.” Cultivation-wise, the new pear also boasts positive qualities. The Cepuna, which is harvested a bit later than the Conference, has a good production and yields a homogeneous division in sizes. With a yield of 55 tonnes, the production is at least as good as that of Conference.
Brand name known this yearCepuna cov is the name of the variety. This year, a brand name will be introduced under which the pear is to be sold. The new pear will be brought to market by the partners in the European Fruit Cooperation (EFC). These include Veiling Haspengouw, Fruitmasters and WOG Raiffeisen. GKE is a subsidiary of EFC and organizes the production and commercialisation of the fruit worldwide. Since 2004, GKE is the variety manager of two concept apple brands, Kanzi and Greenstar, for which they have all the rights worldwide. With additional partners in Germany and France, trial licences have been entered into.
Club concept
The exclusive concept won’t be any different than with Kanzi and Greenstar, according to Urs. He does note that a pear is a very different product than an apple, because it requires a different positioning in terms of production and marketing. “The fact that we have already introduced two successful club varieties to the market, is a big advantage for us as a variety manager. From this experience, for us it’s possible to work with a lot more focus and efficiency.” The first countries where the Cepuna will be introduced, are Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France.
These are also the countries where the pear is now being grown. In North and East Germany and at Lake Constance in particular he sees good opportunities. In the Lake Constance, Saxony-Anhalt and Altes Land regions, where a lot of fruit is grown, extensive trials have been carried out with the new pear. The four countries mentioned now have the focus, but Urs expects that other countries in Europe and beyond will follow later. “We really see Cepuna cov as a widely deployable pear, both in our own country and abroad, and eventually also in new export markets, like Asia and Brazil. That is also our goal: this pear has to be able to handle long distances.”
These are also the countries where the pear is now being grown. In North and East Germany and at Lake Constance in particular he sees good opportunities. In the Lake Constance, Saxony-Anhalt and Altes Land regions, where a lot of fruit is grown, extensive trials have been carried out with the new pear. The four countries mentioned now have the focus, but Urs expects that other countries in Europe and beyond will follow later. “We really see Cepuna cov as a widely deployable pear, both in our own country and abroad, and eventually also in new export markets, like Asia and Brazil. That is also our goal: this pear has to be able to handle long distances.”More information:
GKE NV
Urs Luder
