A New Zealand-based coalition of breeders and marketers is hoping to make a splash in variety promotion.

Prevar Ltd. is a New Zealand-based, multinational joint venture of established to globally commercialize new apple and pear cultivars emanating from the HortResearch breeding program. Prevar is using a fruit value chain approach for its breeding crossing program and evaluating new cultivar selections. A chart outlining this fruit value chain cultivar selection criteria is below.

Fruit Value Chain Position	Cultivar Attributes and Selection Criteria	Expectations Expressed By:
Consumers	Attractive appearance	Skin colors and blush. Fruit shape and size. Low external quality defects.
	Enjoyable eating experience	Crunchy, crisp texture; juicy; excellent taste; pleasing aromas
	Consistent high quality	Consistent eating experience, product safety, low residues
	Product safety	Minimum/no chemical residues
	Good shelflife	Fruit offers a consistent eating experience
Retailers	Attractive appearance	Skin colors and blush; fruit shape; low external quality defects
	Consistent high quality	Consistent eating experience, low residues
	Maturity spread	Market extension
	High profitability	Increase and sustainability of category sales
	Sustainable/reliable supply	Fruit can be sourced from multiple regions
	Fruit product innovation	Unique flavors; lower browning; higher health; allergen free; new flesh color products; new forms of convenience, packaging, and promotion
Fruit Marketers	Good shelflife	Postharvest storage
	Maturity spread	Extend the selling season
	Sustainable/reliable supply	Fruit can be sourced from multiple regions
	Fruit product innovation	As for "Retailers"
Logistic Operators	Good storage life	No unmanageable postharvest issues
	Ease of handling/transport	Not susceptible to cosmetic or physiological damage
Processors	Ease of processing	Yield; process throughput; quality and product storage life and performance
Packinghouses	Ease of packing	High packout, low risk of handling damage
Growers	Economic performance	Good tree architecture, ease of harvest; precocity; productivity; high and consistent commercial packout and fruit quality; pest and disease resistance; consistent fruit size; attractive and sustainable overall returns
Nurseries	Varietal performance on grower-desired rootstocks	Trees meet grower quality standards and produce early
Breeders	Meet all the aforementioned value chain requirements	Commercially viable breeding program
	Innovation for consumers in the next 15 to 20 years	Novel flavors and attractive flesh colors; high convenience utility; new cultivars bred for healthy component composition and nutrigenomic benefit