Club variety

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A club variety is a type of fruit that is subject to central control and is only marketed by a limited number of producers (the “club”) under their own brand names. The name of the variety is different from the trade name under which the fruit is brought onto the market. While the plant variety protection for newly bred varieties exists for 30 years, the brand name can continue to be protected as a trademark for an unlimited period of time.

Club varieties emerged at the end of the 20th century and are still on the rise in the 2010s. In 2009, around 30 club varieties were sold worldwide. This development is being driven primarily from Europe.

concept

Club varieties are mostly newly bred varieties and are therefore protected by plant variety protection. Producers must conclude licenses with the rights holder. It usually stipulates that a certain share of the income goes to the rights holder, which he uses for marketing, among other things. Producers have to meet certain conditions in cultivation and the fruits have to meet certain quality criteria in order to be marketed under the brand name. Suppliers expect concentrated marketing and higher prices through quality control. Club varieties, however, prevent cultivation by other suppliers or direct marketers. Also, the higher prices of branded apples are often offset by the lower prices that growers get for the unbranded apples of the variety.

Individual varieties

Pink Lady apples with the characteristic sticker

Of the fruits that are grown as club varieties, apples are the most common. In addition, the variety always played an important role in apples in the market. Common club varieties in Germany are, for example, the apples Cripps Pink (brand name Pink Lady ), Fuji (brand name Kiku ), Milwa (brand Junami , Diwa ), Civni (brand Rubens ), Nicoter (brand Kanzi ), Scifresh (brand name Jazz ) and Ambrosia ( plant variety protection only). The cherry variety currently ripening the latest in commercial cultivation (9th – 10th cherry week ), 13S2009 (brand name Staccato ) from Canada , is also a club variety. In Germany it is only grown on a small area in Saxony-Anhalt.

criticism

Through the use of modern marketing methods, club varieties are increasingly displacing other apple varieties in retail. This can be seen as problematic, as older apple varieties are usually healthier and there is evidence that these cause fewer problems in allergy sufferers.

The producer is strongly tied to the licensor; if he leaves the contract, he no longer has the rights to continue to care for his fruit trees or to sell the fruit.

Remarks

  1. ^ SK Brown, KE Malony: Making Sense of New Apple Varieties, Trademarks and Clubs: Current Status. ( Memento of March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 317 kB). In: New York Fruit Quarterly. Vol. 17, No. 3, Fall 2009, p. 10.
  2. ^ SK Brown, KE Malony: Making Sense of New Apple Varieties, Trademarks and Clubs: Current Status. ( Memento of March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 317 kB). In: New York Fruit Quarterly. Vol. 17, No. 3, Fall 2009, p. 9.
  3. ↑ ZDF Frontal 21: The trend towards the perfect apple. In: Second German Television, ZDF. Second German Television, ZDF, May 29, 2018, accessed on June 2, 2018 .
  4. ↑ The real price for the perfect apple . ( zdf.de [accessed on August 4, 2018]).

literature

  • Walter Guerra: From premium brands, brokers, club varieties to commissioned production. In: fruit growing viticulture. 1/2012, pp. 5-9.
  • Rolf Stehr among others: Development of the apple and pear range in Europe. In: Swiss magazine for viticulture and fruit growing. 3/12, pp. 9-11.

Web links