Lovita, a newly selected variety of red-fleshed plum

It is the first variety selected by French Fruit Lovers, a French editor of fruit varieties based in Moissac. With their extensive experience, the producers-founders of French Fruit Lovers, Sébastien Rispe and Benoît Escande were seduced as much by the gustative and visual qualities of Lovita, as by its marketing potential, an opportunity for them to launch a high-quality plum sure to satisfy those seeking novelty and flavour.
This variety, called ‘prunus salicina’, whose trade name is Lovita, owes its stage name to its unique aspect, heart-shaped and tantalizing, and its juicy red flesh. Having excellent sugar/acid ratio, Lovita is a tasty plum to enjoy for dessert. Lovita will be easily found on the shelves thanks to its distinctive sign: a red heart-shaped plum.
Lovita is harvested around the middle of September in the Southwestern regions of France. Hence, its marketing season spans from September to December. Lovita may claim to be recognized as one of the fruits enjoyed during the end-of-year celebrations. After undergoing four years of tests in the orchards of producer Sébastien RISPE, this plum yielded excellent results in terms of preservation, in particular according to the tests carried out by CEFEL, the Centre for Fruit and Vegetables Experimentation in Midi-Pyrénées. Furthermore, the yield is high and the fruits are large.
French Fruit Lovers was founded by the producers-nurserymen Sébastien RISPE and Benoît ESCANDE, both heirs to several generations of producers, and by Sébastien GUY, specialised in fruit marketing. Having sought legal guidance, the framework necessary to ensure sales development for Lovita was put in place, in collaboration with its future partners: producers, packing stations, authorised distributors, French Fruit Lovers having exclusive rights for marketing the product across France, Spain and Portugal. The continued promotion of Lovita will be ensured through the implementation of a yearly marketing and communication policy. On a technical level, authorised producers will continue to receive follow-up services and cultivation advice from an experienced
technician.
Today the orchards are being deployed, by 2020, 50 hectares will be planted on the lands of French, Spanish and Portuguese producers. Lovita should be displayed on shelves everywhere by the start of next season.