Vineland pear variety launching soon in the Canadian market
VINELAND STATION, Ontario, January 16, 2024 – Canadian pear enthusiasts will soon have a greater selection at their local market now that Vineland’s HW624 pear variety is ready to launch on a national scale.
Thanks to a collaboration with Washington State-based Stemilt Growers LLC (Stemilt), the HW624 variety will soon be available to Canadian growers and consumers offering a new and exciting pear option that is both firm with a sweet flavour and a sun-kissed rosy, yellow-green skin. This new pear was bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Harrow, Ontario and transferred to Vineland’s highly successful multi-disciplinary horticultural innovation and commercialization process in the last decade.
“This variety transitioned from our on-farm selection process to our consumer branding and marketplace testing analysis and was quickly identified as a desirable pear choice by consumers and growers,” says Dr. Ian Potter, President and CEO, Vineland. “Finding the right partner was the next step in the commercialization pathway to bring HW624 from our farm to consumer tables. Our collaboration with Stemilt will allow for production and marketing of the variety right across Canada.”
“We’re excited to be part of innovation in the pear category with the fantastic HW624 cultivar,” says West Mathison, Stemilt President. “The Vineland team selected a pear with characteristics that make it grower and consumer-friendly so this will be a great benefit to Canadian growers. It has the qualities that will delight existing and new pear shoppers throughout the country.”
Amanda Moen (Vineland) and Patricia Bowlby (Semilt) were present on the tradeshow floor at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Conference held Wednesday, February 21, 2024 and Thursday, February 22, 2024 to discuss this exciting collaboration.
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information, visit www.stemilt.com.
About Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is a uniquely Canadian results-oriented organization dedicated to horticulture science and innovation. We deliver innovative products, solutions and services through an integrated and collaborative cross-country network to advance Canada’s research and commercialization agenda.
Vineland is situated on treaty lands. These lands are steeped in the rich history of the First Nations including the Hatiwendaronk, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people from across Turtle Island live and work in Niagara today. Vineland stands with all Indigenous people, past and present, in promoting the wise stewardship of the lands on which we live.
We are an independent, not-for-profit organization, funded in part by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative. For the latest on our research and innovation visit www.vinelandresearch.com.
For more information, please contact:
Amanda Moen, Senior Business Advisor, Commercialization and Intellectual Property
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
amanda.moen@vinelandresearch.com
Patricia Bowlby, Commercialization Manager
Stemilt
patricia.bowlby@stemilt.com
Diana Huson, Director, Marketing & Communications
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
diana.huson@vinelandresearch.com
905-562-0320 x624
