Checkers collaborated with the international fresh food company Amfresh to source the new generation of citrus for the local market. (Photo: AmFresh)
Checkers has introduced a limited number of award-winning blood oranges in its stores.
The distinctive black-skin blood orange is now available exclusively in selected Checkers branches in Gauteng and the Western Cape – while stocks last. This orange, under the brand Onix and grown in Spain, is known for its deep ruby red inside, unique stripes on the outside and complex flavor that is a perfect balance between sweet and sour.
Quintin Paladin, general manager of Checkers’ procurement and distribution department for fruit and vegetables, says this “supernatural” fruit, which is high in the pigment anthocyanin, combines visual power with nutritional value. Onix also offers great versatility and is suitable for snacking, juicing, baking and everyday cooking.
Checkers collaborated with the international fresh food company Amfresh to source the new generation of citrus for the local market. Developed by Amfresh’s variety renewal platform Genesis Fresh, Onix has already attracted international attention by winning the prestigious 2025 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award. They also received recognition from the International Taste Institute with the Superior Taste Award, an example of how world-class innovations across hemispheres are connected with local retail exports.
The black-skinned watermelon.
Paladin says the limited and exclusive launch of Onix is a good example of the store group’s focus on continuously renewing their fresh offerings with products that stand out in terms of quality and taste. “This is a strategy that still appeals to buyers and contributes to the increase of 1.6% in our market share in fruit and vegetables over the past financial year.”
The imports complement Checkers’ commitment to local sourcing, with nearly 95% of fresh fruit and vegetables, including citrus, supplied by a network of more than 450 South African farmers.
(Photo: AmFresh)
Last year, Checkers was the first retailer to introduce pink lemons, finger limes and the Alizza fruit. The latter is a seedless grapefruit-tangerine mix that is often referred to as “the queen of citrus”, all fruit innovations from the local industry which is considered one of the world’s most dynamic citrus producing regions.
André Russouw, regional manager at Genesis Fresh South Africa, says the import of exclusive international fruit and vegetable varieties helps the local agricultural sector by stimulating demand, measuring customer response and providing market data that helps with crop development and future investments.
(Photo: AmFresh)