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Vineland and AIGN partner for apple variety commercialization
July 12, 2023 By Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
On July 11, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre announced its collaboration with AIGN (Associated International Group of Nurseries) to commercialize apple varieties. Apples are one of Canada’s most important fruit crops, leading the sector in overall fruit production and being one of the nation’s top five exported fruits.
With any successful product, there is a need to innovate and evolve as consumers seek new varieties and alternatives arise in the marketplace. For this reason, collaborations focusing on new consumer-driven Canadian apple varieties are an essential aspect of the product innovation life cycle, for both local consumers and those abroad.
“This new collaboration will advance apple variety development in Canada by combining Vineland’s multi-disciplinary research and innovation capabilities and intellectual property management skills with AIGN’s expertise in tree production and commercialization,” said Ian Potter, president and CEO of Vineland. “This distinctive collaboration has the potential not only to maximize our breeding efforts and benefit the Ontario and Canadian apple sector, but also to increase the Canadian apple selections most popular with consumers in Canada and around the world.”
“AIGN is excited to be Vineland’s exclusive collaborator on the evaluation, selection and commercialization of new apple cultivars for Canadian consumers and beyond,” said Gavin Porter, AIGN CEO. “AIGN also looks forward to building a working relationship with Vineland’s multi-disciplinary team for new plant variety development aligned with AIGN’s global tree production and commercialization expertise to maximize the impact of the Vineland breeding program.”
This collaboration serves to advance Vineland’s mission to improve the economic viability, sustainability and competitiveness of horticulture in Canada.
This project was funded in part by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
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