Egyptian Wonderful pomegranate is the global benchmark deep-red premium cultivar for export pomegranate retail. Egypt produces approximately 200 kt of pomegranate annually and exports about 50 kt. Wonderful is the iconic export cultivar — deep ruby arils inside a hard burgundy rind, tart-sweet flavour profile, UNECE FFV-64-graded retail size — anchoring premium pomegranate shelf across Uzbekistan modern-trade through the September-February export window. We source from Nile Delta growers on GlobalG.A.P. and pack at BRCGS-certified pack-houses.
Cultivar specification
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Cultivar | Wonderful — global benchmark export cultivar |
| Aril colour | Deep ruby red, dense |
| Rind | Red-bronzed, hard, long-shipping tolerant |
| Brix at pack | 15-17 |
| Fruit size | 250-550 g per fruit |
| Grading | UNECE FFV-64 sizing standard |
| Calyx crown | Sage-green, pronounced |
| Shelf life under spec reefer | 8 weeks from pack date |
| HS code | 081090 |
Packaging
- 4.5 kg or 5 kg export carton with individual cups or foam nets
- 1-2 piece retail clamshell for premium positioning
- Private-label brand zone on every carton format
Season
- September → February (Egypt)
- Peak shipments October → December — the volume window
Routing
| Route | Days | Setpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Sea reefer | 15-40 | +5 to +7 °C, RH 90-95 % |
| Road TIR | 12-28 | +5 to +7 °C |
Under spec reefer at +5 to +7 °C, RH 90-95 %, Wonderful holds pack-grade up to 8 weeks from pack date — comfortably long enough for any sea route plus retail rotation.
Common questions
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What's the difference between Egyptian Wonderful and 116 pomegranate? Wonderful is darker-red, firmer-rind, slightly tart — global benchmark for export pomegranate, 8-week shelf life. 116 is lighter pink-red with paler coral arils, slightly sweeter (Brix 16-18), shorter shelf, smaller calyx crown.
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Do you grade Egyptian pomegranate to UNECE standard? Yes — Egyptian Wonderful for export is graded to UNECE FFV-64 (the international pomegranate standard, adopted 2023). Class I or higher is the modern-trade retail default; Class Extra is available on premium-line contracts.
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What's the reefer setpoint and shelf life for Wonderful? +5 to +7 °C, RH 90-95 %. Under spec reefer, Wonderful holds pack-grade for up to 8 weeks from pack date — comfortably long enough for sea routes plus retail rotation.
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Can Wonderful and 116 ship in one mixed-cultivar shipment? Yes — mixed-cultivar pomegranate FCL is a standard offer. Both cultivars share the same +5 to +7 °C reefer setpoint and have visually distinct shelf appearances, which works well for buyers running side-by-side category positioning.
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What's the Brix guarantee on Egyptian Wonderful? Brix 15-17 at pack-grade. Premium retail-line lots run at 16+, with cert ratio check at pack-house. Cosmetics graded to UNECE FFV-64 for size, calyx integrity, and aril count.
Compiled by Nilexportia LLCEditorial standards