June 24, 2021 | by Kate Prengaman

California breeder International Fruit Genetics is best known for its innovative, flavor-forward grape varieties. Now, the company hopes to find similar success with its new low-chill cherry releases that are intended for regions with mild to almost nonexistent winters, but they could have potential far beyond.

Both the grape and cherry breeding programs were founded 20 years ago, but cherries proved a much slower crop to breed, said Chris Owens, IFG’s lead plant breeder. Longtime breeder and IFG co-founder David Cain retired in 2020.

“We’re attempting to do extremely low-chill cherries,” Owens said. “We’re based in the lower San Joaquin Valley, and we’re trying to breed cherries for this environment.”

So far, IFG has released seven varieties under the Cheery trade name, including Cheery Grand, Cheery Treat, Cheery Blush and Cheery Glow, and dozens more selections are under evaluation in partnership with commercial growers, Owens said. The parentage in the breeding program is quite diverse, and the low-chill trait comes from a tropical Prunus species that needed to be crossed again and again into material with higher fruit quality.

June 24, 2021 | Por: Leandro Martín Olmos | Actualidad Técnica, Frutas, Newsletter 243, Variedades

IFG (International Fruits Genetics) celebra los revolucionarios avances aportados al mundo del mejoramiento de la fruta. IFG demostró que una uva de mesa podía ser mucho más, proporcionando una nueva e interesante experiencia al consumidor con la uva Cotton Candy™.

Durante los últimos 20 años, ha habido un aumento constante en el crecimiento de los programas de mejora de la fruta de propiedad e IFG ha tenido mucho éxito al poner un mayor énfasis en la aceptación del consumidor de las nuevas variedades. Con cada paso hacia adelante, el IFG continúa asegurando su lugar en el espacio agrícola, y están orgullosos de ser una fuente de visión y avance en la industria.

June 10, 2021 | Dr. Chris Owens, Lead Plant Breeder at IFG

The fruit industry has dramatically changed over the last 20 years, and IFG is celebrating the pioneering advancements we have brought to the world of fruit breeding.  IFG showed that a table grape could be so much more, providing a new and interesting consumer experience with the Cotton Candy™ grape.  During the past 20 years, there has been a steady increase in the growth of proprietary fruit breeding programs and IFG has been very successful by placing a greater emphasis on consumer acceptance of our new varieties.  With each step forward, IFG continues to secure its place in the agricultural space, and we are proud to be a source of vision and advancement in the industry.

June 4, 2021 | By Keith Loria

Since 2001, Bakersfield, CA-based IFG has grown more than 75,000 grape seedlings and the category is a large and important part of its business and portfolio, with more than 70,000 acres under license across 14 countries.

The company is widely recognized for inventing the Cotton Candy and Sweet Globe grapes.

“Compared to other table grape breeders, our company is young,” said Andy Higgins, IFG’s chief executive officer. “We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year and have been actively licensing only for the past decade or so. We are fortunate that several of our first introductions were successful out of the gate, including Sweet Celebration. Our development has continued and we now have more than 40 patented varieties.”

IFG’s breeding program is broad, covering grower needs, retailer requirements and always looking to bring the very best forward to the consumer.

May 8, 2021 | David Couch For The Record

By now, you know that I love seeing investment in our District 4 communities that create high-paying jobs, bring economic prosperity and build home-grown opportunities for our youth. So it is especially pleasing to me to announce an exciting new ag-based technology development near the community of McFarland.

Recently, I had the honor of attending the International Fruit Genetics groundbreaking ceremony to unveil Fruitworks/The IFG Discovery Center. The complex includes up to 150 planted acres of fruit varieties, 25,000 square feet of greenhouses, and 28,000 square feet of laboratory and support buildings. The site will serve as IFG’s global campus.

IFG is a breeder and licensor of new fruit varieties. Also, IFG is responsible for overseeing more than 300 patents and plant breeders’ rights and more than 2,300 trademarks globally. The company is famous for producing the cotton candy grapes that are seedless with a unique long lasting cotton candy flavor. IFG owns 45 fruit patents. As a matter of fact, IFG has 32 patented table grape varieties, licensed to more than 1061 table grape licensees.

April 27, 2021 | Fresh Fruit Portal

Fruit breeding and licensing company IFG has unveiled plans for the company's new $12 million state-of-the-art research facility and breeding campus in California.

The new facility, named Fruitworks | The IFG Discovery Center, will be the company’s new research and development headquarters and is located in McFarland.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place last Tuesday, among the presence of Sally Gonzalez, Mayor of McFarland, IFG founders Jack Pandol, Glen and Craig Stoller and Dr. David Cain.

April 26, 2021 | GlobeNewswire 

Founders and staff of the world’s leading fruit breeding company joined local politicians and leaders in a ceremony to kick off the development of a new state-of-the-art campus.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., April 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IFG, the world’s top fruit-breeding and licensing company widely recognized for inventing the Cotton Candy™ and Sweet Globe™ grapes, last Tuesday unveiled plans and the name of the company’s new $12 million state-of-the-art research facility and breeding campus at a socially-distanced groundbreaking ceremony. The new facility, named Fruitworks | The IFG Discovery Center, will be the company’s new research and development headquarters and is located in McFarland, Calif.

Last Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony took place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Representatives for local dignitaries David Valadao, U.S. Congressman, California 21st District, Shannon Grove, Senator, California 16th State Senate District and Vince Fong, Assemblyman – California 34th State Assembly District were on hand to welcome the new site and present acknowledgement. Sally Gonzalez, Mayor of McFarland, shared the significance of the project for the community and David Couch, Kern County Supervisor, 4th District, presented a Certificate of Recognition. IFG founders Jack Pandol, Glen and Craig Stoller and Dr. David Cain were all present and shared their vision for the future of IFG at this new location.

April 1, 2021 | Hort News

IFG, the world’s top fruit-breeding and licensing company widely recognized for inventing the Cotton Candy™ and Sweet Globe ™ grapes, has reached an exciting milestone as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. IFG is renowned worldwide for its innovative fruit-breeding programs that have changed the way consumers and retailers think and experience grapes and other fruits, and through the company’s unique offerings of flavour-forward fruit varieties and its global IP licensing program, IFG has transformed the fruit breeding industry in the short span of just 20 years.

Today, IFG boasts 45 patented grape and sweet cherry varieties, and its network of licensed growers extends to all corners of the globe with 1,344 licensees in 15 different countries. Additionally, the company has grown to 55 staff members globally.

April 1, 2021 | The Producer News

IFG, a top fruit-breeding and licensing company widely recognized for inventing the Cotton Candy and Sweet Globe grapes, has reached an exciting milestone as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. IFG is renowned worldwide for its innovative fruit-breeding programs that have changed the way consumers and retailers think and experience grapes and other fruits, and through the company's unique offerings of flavor-forward fruit varieties and its global IP licensing program, IFG has transformed the fruit breeding industry in the short span of just 20 years.

Today, IFG boasts 45 patented grape and sweet cherry varieties, and its network of licensed growers extends to all corners of the globe with 1,344 licensees in 15 different countries. Additionally, the company has grown to 55 staff members globally.

“At IFG, we have three primary assets: our trademarks, our varieties, and our people,” said IFG CEO Andy Higgins. “Without each of those assets, we would not be the company we are today. As an organization that has Intellectual Property, we are committed to protecting our trademarks, our varieties, and of course, supporting our people in their every success and we are proud of the tremendous advances we’ve made to the fruit-breeding industry over the years. Our talented team has worked tirelessly to execute this ambitious vision, and to see it all come together is quite rewarding.”