Prospects are good for Dulcis™, the green kiwifruit with all the qualities of yellow kiwifruit developed by New Plant in Forlì in collaboration with the Universities of Udine and Bologna. Production and marketing is exclusively carried out worldwide by the co-operative companies Alegra, Apofruit Italia, and Orogel Fresco.
During Fruit Logistica, Dulcis was presented to the international public with an exclusive event: many topics were discussed, including the project’s future developments, both from a production and commercial standpoint.
Mirco Montefiori, Chairman of Dulcis Kiwifruit Company, commented: “The high emotional content that Dulcis kiwifruit conveys to consumers reflects the great satisfaction that this novel cultivar, 100% made in Italy, is bringing us at a commercial level. The figures emerging from the first trading season are extremely positive, which leads us to be optimistic about the future as well. Dulcis, in other words, is a variety that allows the entire kiwifruit segment to be revitalised and renewed, creating value throughout the supply chain.”
In addition to the health aspect, this new kiwifruit has positive characteristics in the field: its strengths include its good tolerance to the Mediterranean climate, which means that it can be commercially managed without the need for costly interventions, such as rainproof netting. It is therefore an ideal fruit for everyone: producers, distributors and consumers.
Consumer tests, carried out at several Italian large-scale distribution stores, also offered very positive feedback. After tasting it, 95% of respondents said they would buy it again. Its sweetness was a decisive factor: more than 50% found it to be sweeter than Hayward. Moreover, as many as 45% of the surveyed sample described the fruits tasted as "excellent", while 35% who considered them "very good".
2023/24 saw the opening of the first commercial campaign, with 62% of the quantities destined for the Italian market, 14% for the Netherlands, 13% for Germany, 8% for Spain and 3% for Belgium. In Italy, where the largest supply is concentrated, the sales trend is proving to be very positive: in the pre-Christmas period, sales rose from 2 to over 10 tonnes in just four weeks. 2024 also got off to a positive start, rising in the first three weeks of the year from 8 to 14 tonnes. In general, sales forecasts for 2023/2024 are close to 300 tonnes, but the goal is to reach around 800 as early as 2024/2025, and then to increase to 2,400, 5,600 and 9,400 tonnes in the following three marketing seasons.
For more information: 
Michela Dongi
Dulcis™
Tel.: +39 348 4074079
Email: [email protected]
Doralinda D’Auria
Tel.: +39 337 1212782
Email: [email protected]