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Westfalia Fruit’s varietal development programme is leading the way with more than 140 avocado varieties
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Tuesday, 14 October, 2025, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Johannesburg, South Africa
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Westfalia Fruit, a leading multinational supplier of avocados and other fresh produce, has unveiled its unique collection of avocado varieties —one of the most diverse of its kind globally. Situated in one dedicated orchard, containing up to three trees each of more than 140 avocado varieties from around the world, this invaluable ‘genetic library’ is a cornerstone of its ‘Orchard of the Future’, over 50 hectares of land at its research and development hub in Tzaneen, South Africa. Where researchers are breeding the avocado varieties of the future.
Home to the largest privately funded subtropical fruit research facility in the world, it is using the genetic library to accelerate the development of next-generation avocados.
Sibongile Mhlope, cultivar breeding lead at Westfalia Fruit, said, “From our 140 ‘parent’ varieties that form the foundation of our breeding journey, we have raised more than 7,000 unique avocado seedlings—fondly referred to as ‘babies’ by the team—which we are actively evaluating. Some are nearing the end of their evaluation, while others are just beginning.”
Using cutting-edge technologies—including DNA markers and AI-driven analysis—Westfalia’s research team is pioneering precision breeding methods in avocados, a first for the industry. These tools enable scientists to select superior offspring without the need to raise many thousands of seedlings, dramatically reducing development timelines that previously spanned decades.
Through natural cross-pollination of selected parent cultivars, Westfalia is selecting for traits such as flavour, texture, fruit size, productivity and disease resistance. Many of the seedlings carry fruits with novel shapes, sizes and flavours — some fruits resemble gourds or cucumbers, while others are unusually sweet or large, even football-sized.
Matthew Churchill, global brand manager at Westfalia Fruit, said, “We might one day create novel types such as, those with vibrant skin colours, unique and distinctive flavours, very large sized varieties; the possibilities are almost endless, creating choice for customers and consumers.”
For the first time, avocado varietal development is being led by data and consumer insight. Westfalia is working closely with customers to develop varieties that are tailored to specific market preferences—reversing the traditional model of breeding first and marketing later.
“We’re now starting conversations with our customers to imagine the future of avocado sales together, guided by what consumers want and what we can offer. It’s about closing the gap between R&D and real-world needs to grow the market,” said Churchill.
Dan Sargent, global head of R&D, said, “Our collection of parental cultivars is constantly growing, giving us access to an ever-expanding gene pool of desirable plant characteristics. Each year, we raise thousands of seedlings—every one of them closely monitored over time to determine optimal fruit quality, yield potential, and disease resistance, and from these, we have already selected almost 100 potential varieties of the future. This long-term assessment is essential to advancing varietal development and supporting the health, vibrancy, and resilience of the entire global avocado industry.”
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