diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e36c8c6..b0bd616 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This chart is used by the Validated Patterns installation script that can be fou
 | main | object | depends on the individual settings | main is used primarily for initial bootstrap pattern configuration |
 | main.analytics | object | `{"enabled":true}` | Settings related to the segment.io analytics collection by the patterns operator |
 | main.analytics.enabled | bool | `true` | Whether analytics are enabled or not |
-| main.clusterGroupName | string | `"default"` | Name of the clusterGroup to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart |
+| main.clusterGroupName | DEPRECATED | `nil` | Name of the clusterGroup to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart. Use main.variant instead. Cannot be set together with main.variant. |
 | main.experimentalCapabilities | string | `""` | String to enable certain experimental capabilities in the operator and the framework. Not needed unless you know exactly what you're doing. |
 | main.git | object | depends on the individual settings | Settings related to the Git repository used to deploy the pattern |
 | main.git.repoURL | string | `"https://github.com/pattern-clone/mypattern"` | Repository URL pointing to the pattern |
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ This chart is used by the Validated Patterns installation script that can be fou
 | main.patternsOperator.subscriptionNamespace | string | `"openshift-operators"` | Namespace where the patterns operator subscription and related resources will be created |
 | main.tokenSecret | string | `nil` | Name of the secret containing access credentials to clone the Git repository to deploy the pattern See https://validatedpatterns.io/blog/2023-12-20-private-repos/ for more information |
 | main.tokenSecretNamespace | string | `nil` | Namespace where the above secret will be |
+| main.variant | string | `nil` | Name of the variant to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart. Replaces main.clusterGroupName. Cannot be set together with main.clusterGroupName. |
 
 ----------------------------------------------
 Autogenerated from chart metadata using [helm-docs v1.14.2](https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs/releases/v1.14.2)
diff --git a/crds/gitops.hybrid-cloud-patterns.io_patterns.yaml b/crds/gitops.hybrid-cloud-patterns.io_patterns.yaml
index 7bfe26b..bb724ab 100644
--- a/crds/gitops.hybrid-cloud-patterns.io_patterns.yaml
+++ b/crds/gitops.hybrid-cloud-patterns.io_patterns.yaml
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ spec:
                 type: string
               clusterGroupName:
                 type: string
+              variant:
+                type: string
               experimentalCapabilities:
                 description: Comma separated capabilities to enable certain experimental
                   features
@@ -153,7 +155,6 @@ spec:
                     type: string
                 type: object
             required:
-            - clusterGroupName
             - gitSpec
             type: object
           status:
diff --git a/templates/pattern.yaml b/templates/pattern.yaml
index c1ea9fd..b468e1c 100644
--- a/templates/pattern.yaml
+++ b/templates/pattern.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,15 @@ metadata:
   name: {{ .Release.Name }}
   namespace: {{ .Values.main.patternsOperator.subscriptionNamespace }}
 spec:
+{{- if and .Values.main.variant .Values.main.clusterGroupName }}
+  {{- fail "main.variant and main.clusterGroupName are mutually exclusive, please set only one" }}
+{{- else if .Values.main.variant }}
+  variant: {{ .Values.main.variant }}
+{{- else if .Values.main.clusterGroupName }}
   clusterGroupName: {{ .Values.main.clusterGroupName }}
+{{- else }}
+  {{- fail "either main.variant or main.clusterGroupName must be set" }}
+{{- end }}
   gitSpec:
 {{- if .Values.main.git.repoUpstreamURL }}
     originRepo: {{ .Values.main.git.repoUpstreamURL }}
diff --git a/tests/pattern_custom_values_test.yaml b/tests/pattern_custom_values_test.yaml
index d8f2eee..6eac828 100644
--- a/tests/pattern_custom_values_test.yaml
+++ b/tests/pattern_custom_values_test.yaml
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ templates:
 release:
   name: release-custom-test
 tests:
-  - it: "should render Pattern with required fields"
+  - it: "should render Pattern with clusterGroupName when main.clusterGroupName is set"
     set:
       main.clusterGroupName: "my-cluster-group"
+      main.variant: null
       main.git.repoURL: "https://github.com/example/repo.git"
       main.git.revision: "main"
       main.multiSourceConfig.enabled: true
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@ tests:
       - equal:
           path: spec.clusterGroupName
           value: "my-cluster-group"
+      - notExists:
+          path: spec.variant
       - equal:
           path: spec.gitSpec.targetRepo
           value: "https://github.com/example/repo.git"
@@ -36,8 +39,40 @@ tests:
       - notExists:
           path: spec.multiSourceConfig.clusterGroupChartGitRevision
 
+  - it: "should render Pattern with variant when main.variant is set"
+    set:
+      main.variant: "my-variant"
+      main.git.repoURL: "https://github.com/example/repo.git"
+      main.git.revision: "main"
+      main.multiSourceConfig.enabled: true
+    asserts:
+      - isKind:
+          of: Pattern
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.variant
+          value: "my-variant"
+      - notExists:
+          path: spec.clusterGroupName
+
+  - it: "should fail when both main.variant and main.clusterGroupName are set"
+    set:
+      main.variant: "my-variant"
+      main.clusterGroupName: "my-cluster-group"
+    asserts:
+      - failedTemplate:
+          errorMessage: "main.variant and main.clusterGroupName are mutually exclusive, please set only one"
+
+  - it: "should fail when neither main.variant nor main.clusterGroupName is set"
+    set:
+      main.variant: null
+      main.clusterGroupName: null
+    asserts:
+      - failedTemplate:
+          errorMessage: "either main.variant or main.clusterGroupName must be set"
+
   - it: "should not include clusterGroupGitRepoUrl and clusterGroupChartGitRevision when clusterGroupChartVersion is set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.multiSourceConfig.clusterGroupChartVersion: "6.6.6"
     asserts:
       - notExists:
@@ -47,6 +82,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include clusterGroupGitRepoUrl and clusterGroupChartGitRevision when clusterGroupChartVersion is not set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.multiSourceConfig.clusterGroupChartGitRevision: "test-branch"
       main.multiSourceConfig.clusterGroupGitRepoUrl: "https://github.com/custom/clustergroup-chart"
     asserts:
@@ -61,6 +97,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include originRepo when repoUpstreamURL is set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.git.repoUpstreamURL: "https://github.com/example/upstream.git"
     asserts:
       - exists:
@@ -71,6 +108,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should not include tokenSecret and tokenSecretNamespace when only tokenSecret is set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.tokenSecret: "my-token-secret"
     asserts:
       - notExists:
@@ -80,6 +118,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should not include tokenSecret and tokenSecretNamespace when only tokenSecretNamespace is set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.tokenSecretNamespace: "my-token-namespace"
     asserts:
       - notExists:
@@ -89,6 +128,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include tokenSecret and tokenSecretNamespace when both are set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.tokenSecret: "my-token-secret"
       main.tokenSecretNamespace: "my-token-namespace"
     asserts:
@@ -105,6 +145,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include helmRepoUrl when multiSourceConfig.helmRepoUrl is set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.multiSourceConfig.helmRepoUrl: "https://charts.example.com/"
     asserts:
       - exists:
@@ -115,6 +156,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include clusterGroupChartVersion when set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.multiSourceConfig.clusterGroupChartVersion: "1.0.0"
     asserts:
       - exists:
@@ -125,6 +167,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include analyticsUUID when set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.analyticsUUID: "uuid-1234"
     asserts:
       - exists:
@@ -135,6 +178,7 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include experimentalCapabilities when set"
     set:
+      main.variant: "default"
       main.experimentalCapabilities: "some-feature"
     asserts:
       - exists:
@@ -146,6 +190,7 @@ tests:
   - it: "should include extraParameters when set"
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         extraParameters:
           - name: "param1"
             value: "value1"
@@ -169,6 +214,8 @@ tests:
 
   - it: "should include extraValueFiles when set"
     set:
+      main:
+        variant: "default"
       global:
         extraValueFiles:
           - "file1.yaml"
diff --git a/tests/pattern_default_test.yaml b/tests/pattern_default_test.yaml
index 109e434..ad16e43 100644
--- a/tests/pattern_default_test.yaml
+++ b/tests/pattern_default_test.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ release:
   name: release-test
 tests:
   - it: Should output default values
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - hasDocuments:
           count: 1
@@ -16,8 +18,10 @@ tests:
           name: release-test
           namespace: openshift-operators
       - equal:
+          path: spec.variant
+          value: "default"
+      - notExists:
           path: spec.clusterGroupName
-          value: default
       - equal:
           path: spec.gitSpec.targetRepo
           value: https://github.com/pattern-clone/mypattern
diff --git a/tests/pattern_no_cr_test.yaml b/tests/pattern_no_cr_test.yaml
index 55695c3..972b90a 100644
--- a/tests/pattern_no_cr_test.yaml
+++ b/tests/pattern_no_cr_test.yaml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ tests:
   - it: Should output a pattern if repoURL is set
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         git:
           repoURL: foo.bar
     asserts:
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ tests:
   - it: Should output a pattern if repoUpstreamURL is set
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         git:
           repoUpstreamURL: foo.bar
     asserts:
diff --git a/tests/pattern_snapshot_test.yaml b/tests/pattern_snapshot_test.yaml
index 7ced1b8..b01bf4a 100644
--- a/tests/pattern_snapshot_test.yaml
+++ b/tests/pattern_snapshot_test.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ release:
   name: release-test
 tests:
   - it: gitspec.targetRepo should match snapshot
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - matchSnapshot:
           path: spec.gitSpec.targetRepo
diff --git a/tests/subscription_namespace_test.yaml b/tests/subscription_namespace_test.yaml
index 3e63720..310c750 100644
--- a/tests/subscription_namespace_test.yaml
+++ b/tests/subscription_namespace_test.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ templates:
 tests:
   - it: Should use default openshift-operators namespace for subscription
     template: templates/subscription.yaml
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: metadata.namespace
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/subscription.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           subscriptionNamespace: custom-namespace
     asserts:
@@ -27,6 +30,8 @@ tests:
     template: templates/pattern.yaml
     release:
       name: release-test
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: metadata.namespace
@@ -38,6 +43,7 @@ tests:
       name: release-test
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           subscriptionNamespace: custom-namespace
     asserts:
@@ -47,6 +53,8 @@ tests:
 
   - it: Should use default openshift-operators namespace for configmap
     template: templates/pattern-operator-configmap.yaml
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: metadata.namespace
@@ -56,6 +64,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/pattern-operator-configmap.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           subscriptionNamespace: custom-namespace
     asserts:
@@ -65,6 +74,8 @@ tests:
 
   - it: Should not create namespace when using default openshift-operators
     template: templates/subscription-namespace.yaml
+    set:
+      main.variant: "default"
     asserts:
       - hasDocuments:
           count: 0
@@ -73,6 +84,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/subscription-namespace.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           subscriptionNamespace: custom-namespace
     asserts:
@@ -101,6 +113,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/subscription-namespace.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           enableSubscription: false
     asserts:
@@ -111,6 +124,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/subscription-namespace.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           enableSubscription: false
           subscriptionNamespace: custom-namespace
@@ -122,6 +136,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/subscription.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           enableSubscription: false
     asserts:
@@ -134,6 +149,7 @@ tests:
       name: release-test
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           enableSubscription: false
     asserts:
@@ -146,6 +162,7 @@ tests:
     template: templates/pattern-operator-configmap.yaml
     set:
       main:
+        variant: "default"
         patternsOperator:
           enableSubscription: false
     asserts:
diff --git a/values.yaml b/values.yaml
index fc89bfe..f84d881 100644
--- a/values.yaml
+++ b/values.yaml
@@ -68,8 +68,13 @@ main:
     # -- Starting CSV for the install of the patterns operator
     startingCSV: null
 
-  # -- Name of the clusterGroup to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart
-  clusterGroupName: default
+  # -- (DEPRECATED) Name of the clusterGroup to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart.
+  # Use main.variant instead. Cannot be set together with main.variant.
+  clusterGroupName: null
+
+  # -- Name of the variant to be used. Drives the clusterGroup chart.
+  # Replaces main.clusterGroupName. Cannot be set together with main.clusterGroupName.
+  variant: null
 
   # -- Name of the secret containing access credentials to clone the Git repository to deploy the pattern
   # See https://validatedpatterns.io/blog/2023-12-20-private-repos/ for more information