Homegrown Organic Farms Announces Mammoth Kiwi Brand; Scott Mabs and Stephen Paul Discuss
PORTERVILLE, CA - I couldn’t have been the only one that was excited to learn that Homegrown Organic Farms (HGO) began its inaugural jumbo kiwifruit season in December, was I? Well, it looks like the wait is finally over—HGO has recently expanded its kiwifruit program with its latest variety, the Mammoth Kiwi.
“With the addition of the kiwis to our lineup last year, we knew we needed to call out and differentiate the unique qualities of Mammoth Kiwis, and we believe the name and brand development will help achieve that,” Scott Mabs, Homegrown Organic Farms’ CEO commented. “We wanted to bring a modern approach that would be visually appealing to shoppers and their kids, and I think we’ve achieved that.”
HGO’s newest variety addition was developed in Greece and was brought to the U.S. in 2010. Mammoth Kiwi is a special variety that is nearly 50 percent larger than the common Hayward variety and boasts exceptional nutritional value. It is the unlikely result of a naturally occurring genetic mutation (non-GMO) with the chance of viability of around two million to one, stated the release. Today, it is often dubbed a “gift from the gods.”
“The Mammoth Kiwi is different. It’s larger than anything on the market today and has excellent nutritional elements,” Stephen Paul, Category Director, said. “We are excited to be on the cutting edge of variety development in such a unique category.”
To bring this extraordinary variety to the States, HGO has teamed up with father and son duo Jerry and Jerin Kliewer, respectively, the farmers currently in charge of this new variety. Together, they grow peaches, plums, nectarines, and kiwis, including this new Jumbo variety along with Hayward and Gold Kiwis. The Kliewer’s have partnered with the Greek breeders behind the Mammoth variety and maintain the exclusive rights to its genetics in the U.S.
Initial offerings will include bulk, 1 lb, and 3 lb clamshells. Homegrown expects to begin shipping organic Mammoth Kiwis from Kingsburg, California, this coming November.
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