BAKERSFIELD, CA - An acquisition is on the books between Sun World International and Diazteca, a mango variety acquisition. Sun World recently announced it acquired the Kankun™ mango variety from Diazteca, a strategic addition to its nascent mango breeding and licensing program and the first commercial Sun World mango variety available for license.

“For nearly 40 years, Sun World has brought distinctive and flavorful grapes and stone fruit to leading fruit growers around the world,” David Marguleas, Chief Executive Officer of Sun World, said. “Those growers and others will soon have access to the Kankun mango as the first of many new cultivar releases we plan to introduce to the global produce industry. If you like Tommy Atkins, you’re going to love Kankun with its sweet tropical flavor, distinctive red blush, thin seed, low fiber content, and early-ripening harvest advantage. The Kankun variety also maintains better quality through the required hot water treatment process.”

According to the release, Diazteca is one of Mexico’s largest mango suppliers. Its research team developed the Kankun variety on its farms in Escuinapa, Sinaloa, Mexico. With this acquisition, Sun World continues to expand its fruit breeding and licensing portfolio.

The signing ceremony took place in San Diego, California, on June 6, 2023.

“We are pleased to work with the Sun World team to license the unique Kankun variety,” Ismael Diaz, Director General of Diazteca, commented. “Their expertise and history of successful product commercialization will be invaluable.”

After favorable results from testing the variety with leading supermarket retailers, Diazteca and Sun World agreed to a transaction that would make the Kankun variety broadly available under license to mango growers, marketers, retailers, and consumers worldwide and to enable Sun World researchers to utilize the variety in its breeding program.

“Sun World continues to expand our portfolio to encompass additional specialty fruit crops, through partnerships like Diazteca and our own variety development initiatives and expertise,” noted Jennifer Petersen, Chief Science Officer for Sun World.

The Kankun variety is currently in limited production in Mexico, with trees available under license from Sun World beginning in 2024. Sun World plans to test the variety within its global licensing network.

“We’re excited to begin leveraging the Kankun variety and its unique attributes in our own breeding program,” added Moises Gonzalez, Specialty Crop Breeder for Sun World.

ANUK will continue to be the eyes and ears of the industry, so check back often.

Sun World International