Product Offerings
Product Categories:
seeds, fruits and vegetables
Products:
Apple Varieties, Pear Varieties, Fruit Breeding
Prevar Limited is a leading horticultural innovation company based in Havelock North, New Zealand, dedicated to the commercialization and global licensing of proprietary apple and pear varieties. Established in 2004 as a joint venture between Plant & Food Research (New Zealand), New Zealand Apples & Pears Inc. (NZAPI), and Apples and Pears Australia Ltd (APAL), Prevar acts as a global bridge between world-class fruit breeding programs and commercial growers, packers, and marketers worldwide.
Core Business
Prevar's core mission is to maximize the value of publicly funded fruit breeding by:
- Commercializing apple and pear varieties developed by Plant & Food Research.
- Managing intellectual property (IP) including trademarks, patents, and Plant Variety Rights (PVR).
- Licensing propagation and commercialization rights to qualified global partners.
- Strategically evaluating new varieties based on grower performance, market potential, and consumer preferences.
- Protecting the integrity of licensed cultivars and trademarks through global IP enforcement.
Prevar is the global commercialization agent for all new pipfruit varieties developed by Plant & Food Research in New Zealand and is recognized for transforming elite cultivars into globally successful fruit brands.
Product and Service Offerings
Prevar offers:
- Exclusive licensing agreements for planting, production, and marketing of new apple and pear varieties.
- IP rights management including global Plant Variety Rights (PVR) and registered trademarks.
- Varietal trial coordination with growers and marketers in major production regions.
- Brand development services to support commercialization efforts.
- Market intelligence and strategic positioning for new fruit launches.
Their offerings provide a full suite of services from breeding innovation to global retail distribution support.
Specialization and USP
Prevar specializes in pipfruit breeding commercialization with a unique ability to:
- Access cutting-edge science via its exclusive relationship with Plant & Food Research.
- Integrate scientific selection criteria (e.g., flavor profile, texture, appearance, storability, yield) with market insights.
- Manage an elite cultivar pipeline with over 80 apple and pear selections in active global trials.
- Create premium branded varieties supported by PVR and trademark protection.
Its unique selling proposition lies in delivering complete commercialization pathways—from R&D to market-ready branded fruit—within a collaborative, IP-secure model.
Financial and Market Insights
As a non-listed entity, Prevar does not publish financial statements, but its economic impact is significant:
- Prevar-enabled brands such as Rockit™, Dazzle™, and Smitten™ contribute to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual export value for New Zealand’s pipfruit industry.
- New Zealand pipfruit exports exceeded NZD $970 million in 2023, with Prevar cultivars playing a key role in high-value categories.
- The Rockit™ apple brand alone generated global sales in excess of NZD $120 million in 2022, with licensed plantings in 10+ countries.
Prevar operates globally through licensing networks across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australasia.
Target Market
Prevar licenses its varieties to:
- Fruit growers and orchardists seeking premium, high-return cultivars.
- Fruit packers and marketers interested in exclusive branded programs.
- Retail chains requiring premium, differentiated fruit products.
- Plant propagators and nurseries under controlled licensing arrangements.
- IP portfolio managers looking for new cultivar commercial opportunities.
Their target markets span developed horticultural economies such as the U.S., EU, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and China.
Capabilities
- Strong IP and legal infrastructure managing trademarks, patents, and PVRs in over 30 jurisdictions.
- Global trial network for cultivar evaluation in diverse climates.
- Strategic partnerships with Plant & Food Research for accelerated breeding innovation.
- Digital cultivar tracking systems for license compliance and traceability.
- Brand commercialization strategy and support, including packaging, marketing, and launch assistance.
These capabilities ensure global scalability of elite varieties while preserving brand integrity and grower returns.
Certifications and Compliance
Prevar operates with strict adherence to international IP regulations and best practices:
- Plant Variety Rights (PVR) management across all major horticultural markets.
- Trademark registration and enforcement globally for branded fruit names.
- Compliance with OECD certification protocols for nursery propagation material.
- Operates under New Zealand’s IP and horticultural export regulatory frameworks.
All licensing agreements are governed by clear compliance mechanisms to protect partners and uphold varietal quality standards.
Major Achievements
- Successfully commercialized over 12 global fruit brands, many of which are now industry benchmarks:
- Rockit™ – a miniature, snackable apple with global success in retail.
- Dazzle™ – high-color, high-yield apple variety launched across Asia-Pacific.
- GoodnessMe®, Smitten™, and Cherish™ – premium consumer-facing brands.
- Developed the PIQA® pear series, combining traits from Asian and European pears for optimal taste and storability.
- Played a critical role in transitioning New Zealand’s pipfruit sector toward IP-protected cultivars, helping maintain competitive advantage.
- Expanded global trial access, with more than 200 trial sites in 14 countries.
- Reinforced New Zealand’s global leadership in apple breeding innovation through successful IP monetization.
Customer Testimonials
While individual testimonials are confidential due to IP-sensitive agreements, global partners routinely acknowledge Prevar’s role:
- “Prevar’s variety pipeline is the most robust and commercially sound in the world.”
- “Their IP management and varietal support are unmatched in the apple industry.”
- “We launched Rockit™ with Prevar’s help and it’s now a core product in our retail strategy.”
This continued global uptake validates Prevar’s leadership in bringing science to market in the global fruit industry.