New Zealand’s spectacular summer – renowned for its long days and pristine air – is the inspiration behind the commercial brand names for a series of exclusive apricots distributed to local and international markets by grower co-operative, NZ Summerfresh Ltd.

The cooperative has announced the brand names of the first five varieties which will be marketed as Summer Spark, Summer Desire, Summer Charm, Summer Passion and Summer Blaze from this season onwards.

NZ Summerfresh chairman Stephen Darling said his company’s apricots reflect the very best of New Zealand’s summer which is long-awaited, much appreciated and enjoyed to the full. 

He says summer series apricots are a notch above other apricots.

“They have an exceptionally high flavour with a juicy almost crisp texture, intense sweetness and bright colour,” Stephen says.

In 2022, three cultivars from the series (Summer Passion, Summer Blaze and Summer Spark) were released for commercialisation by Plant and Food Research, following two decades of research and development into breeding varieties suitable for New Zealand’s growing conditions.

Summer Desire and Summer Charm will soon be commercialised, and early talks are underway for the next generation to be evaluated in coming years.

Under the terms of its exclusive New Zealand commercial licence, NZ Summerfresh can sub-licence to third parties such as growers, nurseries, marketers or distributors with the resulting fruit being sold in New Zealand and throughout the world.

Cooperative welcomes new growers

NZ Summerfresh formed a grower’s cooperative in 2022 to commercialise the proprietary varieties for export and domestic consumption.

It has an open-door policy and encourages summer fruit growers to join and choose from a range of models (grower only, grower-packer, and integrated grower-packer-marketer).

Some 15 growers – predominantly in Central Otago, the heartland of apricot production in New Zealand – are growing the apricots under sub-licence from NZ Summerfresh.

“The apricots are under trial in the traditional areas of Central Otago, from Tarras to Alexandra, Waikerikeri and Manuherikia, as well as some non-traditional areas such as Canterbury and around Christchurch and some trial locations on the North Island,” Stephen says.

More than 40,000 trees over 50ha are being produced.

Apricot trees reached full production by year seven or eight, he said.

Plant and Food Research holds ownership of the varieties and has obtained plant variety rights in New Zealand and offshore.

The licensing of these varieties to NZ Summerfresh is a natural progression of the long association between the research institute and the wider summer fruit industry body that established the commercialisation entity on behalf of the summer fruit industry.

Summerfruit New Zealand, the summer fruit industry peak body representing growers, invested in the summer breeding programme with Plant and Food Research (formerly HortResearch) to create innovative new varieties with intense flavour and excellent eating quality.

General manager science new cultivar innovation Dr Zac Hanley saidNew Zealand has long been known for its innovative cultivars, bred for our environment and delivering delicious fruit that consumers want to eat.

"These new apricots are no exception and we look forward to seeing Summer series apricots on the supermarket shelves both here and overseas," he said.