Fresh News From Sun World, September 2005

   ...for grower-marketer members of the Sun World Fruit Alliance

FEATURES

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Letter From Sun World CEO, Bruce Burton

It has been a little over two months since I joined Sun World and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the global Sun World family of licensees and growers.  I have spent over 20 years in the produce business and I am honored to have the opportunity of leading one of the first class companies in our industry. In spite of the high opinion I have always had of the fine group of professionals that manage Sun World, I am pleased to say that after a month on the job, my lofty expectations have been exceeded. Whether it is the talented farm managers or the creative sales and marketing team or the innovative scientists that run the research and development center or the experienced finance and accounting people, the degree of professionalism and commitment to excellence speaks very well for our company’s future.

The new owners of the company have expressed their desire to grow our business and assist Sun World in reaching it fullest potential in the marketplace.  An important part of that growth will depend on expanding our presence in overseas markets and helping to develop new varieties of our product line that work well in production zones around the world.  We view our growers and licensees as partners in this growth and I will look forward to the opportunity of meeting many of you over the next several months to discuss any ideas you may have for business ideas in your respective countries.

As part of our strategic plan, we will be making significant investments in planting our own proprietary product line in California on our own farms as a component of our expansion. Unfortunately, the company’s prior management and financial condition did not allow it to invest heavily in producing significant amounts of its own proprietary products. It is this commitment to leveraging the many years and millions of dollars of research investment that will be one cornerstone of our future growth and reflects our confidence in the quality of our materials.  Only through this continued investment can we support and expand our family of global licensees and provide our partners with attractive investment opportunities. We look forward with enthusiasm to working together with you over the coming years and ask that you never hesitate to pick up the phone or drop me an email if you have any doubts, questions or ideas.

Warmest Wishes

Bruce

 

Direct Telephone Line  661 392- 4613

Email bburton@sun-world.com

Initial Trials Indicate Promising Future for New SOPHIA SEEDLESS® Grape

The seeded Italia variety grape, with its distinctive flavor and pronounced Muscat aroma, has long been a favorite of consumers throughout Continental Europe. Italy produces sizeable quantities of Italia grapes as do other countries supplying Italy and other European countries during the northern and southern hemisphere seasons.

In recognition of the Italia’s popularity, nearly a decade ago Sun World set out to develop a new grape featuring all of the Italia’s special qualities, minus the seeds. The Sugraeighteen variety, to be marketed under the SOPHIA SEEDLESS® brand name, continues to undergo trials in the United States and other countries and initial reports suggest that its firm, large white berries and superb Muscat flavor will satisfy Continental Europe’s growing appetite for seedless grapes as well as its longstanding preference for Muscat flavor.

“We’re encouraged by Sugraeighteen’s initial performance in multi-year trials here in California and in selected other international trials,” Sun World Cultivar Development Specialist Guy McGhie said. “We’re perfecting our recommended production practices for it and believe it has great potential as a new seedless variety, especially for sale in Continental Europe,” he added.

Distinctive New 'Apple-Plum', Suplumthirtysix, Brightens Angeleno season

Suplumthirtysix

For the six seasons since it was selected, Suplumthirtysix has been better known in Sun World fruit trials as the 'Apple Plum'. "It is one of the most distinctive flavors you will taste in a plum", remarked Sun World Stone Fruit Breeder Terry Bacon.  "I still remember the day I discovered it in the seedling block in 2000".

Suplumthirtysix is not a hybrid between an apple and a plum but does possess many characteristics of both. The bright white apple-like flesh is crisp and juicy and has the low-acid flavor, texture and aroma of an apple. But the fruit itself looks like a plum, even if it is an odd-looking one. "The fruit tends to be somewhat heart-shaped most years", Bacon noted. "Suplumthirtysix, along with the SOPHIA SEEDLESS® and SABLE SEEDLESS® grapes, tend to be the one that visitors remember after tasting, and then ask about the next time they visit".

Suplumthirtysix, an ANGELENO season plum, has completed two years of evaluation in the Commercial Testing Program at Sun World R&D and has been distributed to Sun World partners internationally where it will be tested under local conditions in various locations.

More about Suplumthirtysix

The Panda Ranch group is a leading Stone Fruit supply chain manager in Australia for both the domestic and international markets. Panda is actually a group of companies, each with it's own focus:

Panda Ranch Marketing

 Trademarks and IPR Management

Panda Ranch Production

 Production Joint Ventures

Panda Ranch Trading

 Export & Domestic Sales and Purchases

The Taste Factory

 Processing and Packing Services

Panda Ranch Queensland

 Low Chill Stone Fruit

The company is headed by Michael Silm, CEO, Jason Silm, COO, and  Gerome Raco, Director of Sales and Marketing. Panda Ranch is vertically integrated having several large plantings of Stone Fruit at Mundubbera, Swan Hill and Cobram. A central packing and ripening system has been established at Cobram in Victoria, from which fruit is distributed domestically and internationally. The Panda Ranch Group is also supplied with fruit from local growers who can meet the specific quality standards established by the group.

The products include white peaches and nectarines, yellow peaches and nectarines, sub-acid peaches and nectarines, plums, apricots, pluots and cherries. Panda Ranch has undertaken significant plantings of Sun World plum varieties for marketing under the BLACK DIAMOND® brand, as well as having Sun World Licensed Growers planting varieties comprising the BLACK DIAMOND® brand line.

Visit Panda Ranch at www.pandaranch.com.au