The ALIZZA Fruit™, the citrus innovation developed by GENESIS FRESH and marketed globally by AMFRESH, has once again been awarded the highest 3-star Superior Taste Award by the International Taste Institute in Brussels.
After receiving this recognition for the first time in 2023, the variety has again achieved the highest score in 2026, consolidating its position among the most recognised citrus innovations on the international market.
Recognition for quality and consistency
The Superior Taste Award is considered one of the most prestigious sensory evaluation systems in the food industry. Products are assessed by internationally renowned chefs and sommeliers through rigorous blind tastings, making the award an independent validation of the product’s sensory quality.
In the case of The ALIZZA Fruit™, achieving the highest 3-star rating for the second time reinforces the variety’s consistency across different seasons, origins and market conditions. To date, only one other citrus innovation, ORRi, has achieved this same distinction, placing ALIZZA among a very small group of citrus references with the highest recognition.
A distinctive citrus proposal
Developed by GENESIS FRESH and marketed by AMFRESH, The ALIZZA Fruit™ combines the sweetness of a mandarin with the generous size and exceptional juiciness of a grapefruit. Seedless, easy to peel and highly versatile for both fresh consumption and juicing, it offers a differentiated eating experience.
Its distinctive organoleptic profile, difficult to compare within the category, enables retailers to offer a product with genuine differentiation on the shelf. In a context in which citrus is seeking new growth opportunities through innovation and premiumisation, this variety shows how varietal development can revitalise mature categories and renew consumer interest.
Quality preserved beyond the usual commercial window
The award is particularly significant given the circumstances in which the evaluation took place. The tasting was held in Belgium in early May, several months after the variety’s usual commercial window and following a particularly demanding season for the citrus sector.
Thanks to rigorous quality management, specialist knowledge of storage and careful product monitoring throughout the supply chain, AMFRESH teams were able to preserve the defining attributes of The ALIZZA Fruit™, allowing the variety to achieve the highest distinction months after harvest.
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“This recognition independently validates what we pursue through varietal innovation: developing products capable of offering extraordinary consumer experiences in a consistent and sustainable way, while generating value for growers, retailers and the entire chain,” said David Alba, CEO of GENESIS FRESH.
According to Alba, obtaining the highest 3-star Superior Taste Award for the second time, especially after a complex season and several months after harvest, demonstrates the strength of the variety and the robustness of the genetics behind it.
International expansion in the Southern Hemisphere
The distinction comes at a key moment for the international expansion of The ALIZZA Fruit™, coinciding with the start of a new campaign in the Southern Hemisphere. AMFRESH South Africa and a growing network of local growers are preparing to offer a new crop characterised by high quality and an exceptional consumer experience.
The progressive expansion of plantings in South Africa is helping to extend the availability of the variety during the summer months, reinforcing its transition from a seasonal proposal towards an increasingly continuous presence in international markets.
As its presence grows in both hemispheres, AMFRESH and its grower partners continue to build the foundations to drive category growth and bring this innovation to an increasing number of consumers.
Varietal innovation to transform the category
“The ALIZZA Fruit™ represents an innovation with the capacity to transform a category,” said Patricia Sagarminaga, Global Director of Marketing & Communications at AMFRESH Group.
Sagarminaga stressed that consumers respond when they find something genuinely different. In this sense, the recognition from the International Taste Institute once again demonstrates the potential of varietal innovation to generate excitement, add value and create new growth opportunities within fresh produce.
This achievement reflects the joint work of the teams at GENESIS FRESH, AMFRESH, growers, packing houses and commercial partners who have contributed to developing, producing and bringing The ALIZZA Fruit™ to market. From genetic improvement and agronomic management to commercialisation and execution at the point of sale, the success of this variety highlights how innovation can generate value across the entire chain and open new opportunities for the future of citrus.
