Westfalia Fruit’s avocado precision breeding promises resilient new varieties

The future of the avocado could look very different, thanks to Westfalia Fruit’s innovative precision breeding programme in South Africa.

At its research and development hub in Tzaneen, the global avocado company has planted more than 140 avocado varieties from around the world in a dedicated orchard, with up to three trees of each cultivar. This ‘genetic library’ is a cornerstone of Westfalia’s ambitious “Orchard of the Future” – a 50-hectare site where researchers are breeding the avocado varieties of tomorrow.

Home to the largest privately funded subtropical fruit research facility in the world, Westfalia is using this living library to accelerate varietal development in ways not previously possible.

Sibongile Mhlope, Cultivar Breeding Lead at Westfalia Fruit, explained: “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.”

Fast-tracking new varieties

By pairing traditional cross-pollination with tools such as DNA markers and AI-driven analysis, Westfalia is fast-tracking a process that once took decades. The focus is on selecting superior traits, from improved flavour and texture to larger fruit size and resistance to pests and disease.

Some experimental seedlings are already showing extraordinary results, including unusually sweet avocados, football-sized fruits and even varieties resembling gourds or cucumbers.

“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,” said Matthew Churchill, Global Brand Manager at Westfalia Fruit.

Consumer-led approach

The programme is also distinctive for its consumer-led approach. Westfalia is working directly with retailers and foodservice customers to shape cultivars for specific markets, flipping the traditional “breed first, market later” model on its head.

“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,” Churchill explained. “It’s about closing the gap between R&D and real-world needs to grow the market.”

That consumer-first mindset is also reflected in Westfalia’s retail partnerships. The company recently teamed up with Tesco on a project trialling an avocado ripeness scanner in-store, giving shoppers instant insights into fruit quality while aiming to cut food waste and enhance the customer experience.

Targeting resilience

Alongside consumer insight, Westfalia Fruit’s avocado precision breeding programme is also targeting some of agriculture’s toughest challenges, from climate change and water scarcity to mounting disease pressures.

Dan Sargent, Global Head of R&D, concluded: “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.”