For years, pears have quietly slipped down the shopping list. They have been seen as old-fashioned, unpredictable, and easily bruised, often hard one day and mushy the next.
PIQA Red is on a mission to change that, as a premium fruit that promises consistency, flavour, and everyday indulgence.
The PIQA Red pear was developed by Prevar in collaboration with the Bioeconomy Science Institute in Motueka, Nelson, through two decades of selective breeding of pear varieties.
After a challenging few years for growers, impacted by cyclones, Covid, and La Niña, the strong performance of PIQA Red has provided a welcome boost to the sector.
Tony Martin, CEO of Prevar, said that consumers have been falling out of love with pears because they’ve been inconsistent and uninspiring.
"We’ve solved that problem by ensuring PIQA Red is always ripe and ready to eat," he said.
"It’s crisp, refreshing, and surprisingly tropical. It delivers that perfect bite, every time."
While traditional pears waned in popularity, avocados, berries, and tropical fruit captured the imagination of younger consumers looking for something reliable, delicious, and a little bit special.
"We believe PIQA Red can do the same for pears. It’s beautiful on a cheese board, perfect in the lunchbox, great as an on-the-go snack, or a sweet treat after dinner. It brings delight back to an everyday fruit."
Whether you dress it up, or dress it down, PIQA Red always delivers.
The global pear market is estimated at $30 billion, yet innovation in the category has lagged far behind that of apples. Martin added that Prevar will set new standards and show that pears can be modern, reliable, and genuinely exciting again.
As Kiwis rediscover pears, PIQA Red is looking to prove that the next cult fruit isn’t green and creamy, but crisp and ruby red.
PIQA Red is available in New Zealand supermarkets and produce stores now through to September.
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