The city of Poperinge, in collaboration with hop growers and knowledge institutes Inagro, Vives, and ILVO, is working on a new disease-resistant and robust hop variety for the brewing industry, one that embodies the Belgian character. This is crucial as hop is a dioecious plant, meaning male and female flowers are needed for breeding new varieties, but male plants are typically avoided in cultivation due to potential seed formation which reduces hop quality. Instead, male plants are found in Belgium in hedges, forests, and private gardens.