The University of California, Davis, is making significant strides in the global strawberry market with new international licensing agreements that will allow growers around the world to access its renowned strawberry varieties. This initiative is part of the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program, which boasts a collection of approximately 1,700 strawberry plants.
These licensing agreements will enable nurseries and fruit growers in diverse regions, including Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, to cultivate all available strawberry varieties developed by UC Davis. Notably, the strawberry plant varieties that have originated from UC Davis contribute to about 60% of the strawberries consumed globally.
Among the key players in this expansion is Global Plant Genetics (GPG), a UK-based company that will incorporate 15 legacy varieties of UC Davis strawberries into its existing portfolio. GPG has been a master licensee for UC Davis since 2018 and already manages the licensing of several newer varieties in markets across China, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Additionally, Fresa Fortaleza, also known as F2, has been appointed as the new master licensee for UC Davis’s legacy strawberry varieties in Mexico. This San Diego-based company has been managing the licensing of the more recently developed varieties in Mexico since 2020.
Earlier this year, UC Davis ended its partnership with Eurosemillas, the former master licensee for these legacy varieties, paving the way for these new agreements.
Helene Dillard, the dean of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, expressed satisfaction with the expanded agreements, stating, “We are pleased to have expanded our agreements with GPG and Fresa Fortaleza. We appreciate the shared commitment to maintaining outstanding relationships with our nurseries and growers and providing vigorous support for the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.”
The newly established agreements cover a wide range of regions, including:
- The European Union, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
- Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay
- China
- Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Turkey
The UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of strawberry growers by developing varieties that possess desirable traits, such as enhanced yield, superior flavor, disease resistance, and adaptability to various growing conditions. The university also directly licenses strawberry varieties to nurseries in Canada and the United States, providing California strawberry growers with a competitive edge through exclusive access to new varieties for a period of two years, along with reduced royalty rates.
This initiative not only highlights UC Davis’s commitment to agricultural innovation but also reinforces its position as a leader in strawberry breeding and research on a global scale. As the demand for high-quality strawberries continues to rise, these licensing agreements are expected to play a crucial role in ensuring that growers worldwide can benefit from the advancements made by the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.
With these agreements in place, the future of strawberry cultivation looks promising, as growers will have access to some of the best varieties developed through years of dedicated research and innovation at UC Davis.
