Legalization and integration: how Chinese blueberry group is helping tackle unlicensed production

Joy Wing Mau Group is a leading vertically-integrated fruit company in China, which plays a pivotal role in the country, connecting international breeding excellence with the vast Chinese market. A key partner for several world-renowned breeders, including Mountain Blue Orchards (MBO), Joy Wing Mau is well-placed to comment on the urgent need to introduce effective regulation into a local industry where unlicensed blueberry cultivation has long been a problem.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, Joy Wing Mau cultivates premium varieties such as MBO’s L25, as well as other blueberries suited to the wide range of conditions in China, through its own farms and strategic partnerships. Domestically, the company’s principal sales channels encompass a comprehensive network, including national key account retailers, leading e-commerce platforms, and premium fruit distributors. Joy Wing Mau also exports significant volumes of Chinese-grown and sourced berries to markets across Asia.

According to Vivi Zhang, from Joy Wing Mau’s supply chain operations optimization division, the regulation of unlicensed variety cultivation is of “fundamental importance” to the healthy, sustainable development of China’s blueberry industry. “Strong Intellectual Property protection is the cornerstone of innovation,” she says.

“It ensures that breeding companies, who invest heavily in R&D, receive a fair return, which in turn funds the next generation of better varieties for growers and consumers. This cycle of innovation and reward benefits the entire industry.

“While the industry is rapidly maturing, the challenge of unlicensed planting exists, particularly with in-demand varieties. The exact scale is difficult to quantify, but its impact is widely recognized by legitimate stakeholders. The key is to address it through constructive, collaborative measures rather than solely through enforcement.”

Taking matters into its own hands, Joy Wing Mau has introduced its ‘MBO Variety Legalization Project,’ a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a Chinese distributor and an international breeder, which has so far made significant progress. According to Zhang, the project has succeeded in engaging a substantial number of growers, bringing a large area of previously unlicensed plantings into the authorized system.

“This project is not only protecting intellectual property but also professionalizing cultivation practices, improving fruit quality, and ensuring a more stable, transparent supply for the market,” she explains.

Tackling the problem

The essential problem with unlicensed production, Zhang continues, is that it creates an uneven playing field: legitimate growers who invest in licensed varieties, pay royalties, and adhere to quality protocols face unfair competition from those who operate outside the system.

The result is an oversupply of non-compliant fruit, which can destabilize the market and depress prices, as well as damaging the reputation and market perception of premium varieties. Furthermore, Zhang says such practices can undermine the business case for growers to invest in legal, high-quality cultivation systems and for breeders to introduce their latest genetics into China.

Much as Joy Wing Mau is doing with its own project, Zhang believes the only viable solution is via ‘legalization and integration’ pathways, which – through education and engagement – seek to offer a structured system for unlicensed growers to obtain proper authorization, integrating them into the legitimate supply chain.

But more than varietal protection, Joy Wing Mau is also a strong advocate of sustainable blueberry production in China. As a company, Zhang says sustainable production is integral to Joy Wing Mau’s corporate strategy and operational DNA, arguing that the long-term viability of the business is inextricably linked to the health of the environment, the well-being of farming communities, and the trust of consumers who seek responsibly grown food.

Once again putting its words into action, Zhang says the company has invested in a range of sustainable measures, from precision agriculture and water management through drip irrigation to a focus on soil health through organic fertilizers, and the prioritization of biological pest controls.

01-09-2026
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