Fruit breeder Bloom Fresh has announced recently held a grand opening for a new $14 million breeding campus, Fruitworks, the Bloom Fresh Discovery Center, in McFarland, Calif.
An inauguration ceremony honoring the opening of the center took place on Aug. 20 and featured local dignitaries, the McFarland High School Pep Band, McFarland Mayor Saul Ayon and some of the leading table grape growers from around the world, according to a news release.
Bloom Fresh said the facility is equipped with laboratory environments designed to elevate natural fruit breeding. With specialized labs and research areas, the center will facilitate work in developing new fruit varieties and refining breeding techniques, according to the release.
“Bloom Fresh is truly committed to building a tastier, healthier and more sustainable future for people around the world using the power of natural breeding,” Bloom Fresh CEO Josep Estiarte said in the release. “But we understand that commitments such as this need real and meaningful investments to back them up and this facility is exactly that. The Discovery Center is Bloom Fresh’s bold and meaningful investment in natural breeding that will have an impact for generations to come.”
The company said key features of the center include:
- Advanced 28,000-square-foot laboratory facilities — The center features labs that integrate new research and scientific disciplines, providing comprehensive solutions to both growers and consumers. The facility is designed to foster a clean and controlled environment, optimizing the development of new grape, cherry, and raisin varieties.
- Innovative research tools — The center includes 150 acres of test vineyards, 25,000 square feet of greenhouses and a postharvest physiology lab, which will play a crucial role in advancing postharvest analysis and rootstock pairing.
- Enhanced grower support — By focusing on de-risking new fruit introductions, the center offers increased grower support and comprehensive analysis to ensure improved retailer and consumer experiences, the company said.
The center will serve as one of Bloom Fresh’s two major research and breeding hubs, alongside the existing facility in Murcia, Spain, the release said.
