Rainier Fruit rolls out Junami apple variety

12/30/2011 11:40:24 AM
Mike Hornick

Courtesy Rainier Fruit Co.Junami is a new apple variety available beginning in January from Rainier Fruit. The new year marks the rollout of a new apple variety, Junami, from Rainier Fruit Co.

“Junami is fruity, tangy, crispy and incredibly juicy,” said Suzanne Wolter, marketing director for Selah, Wash.-based Rainier Fruit. “It’s an extremely refreshing apple to eat and will be available for the first time in January.”

The grower-shipper has various promotions in place to help move volume.

“To make them stand out, we developed a brand around the variety name and created a larger size (Price Look-Up label) to better show the Junami name,” Wolter said. “Point-of-sale material is packed directly into the apple box, providing information to produce personnel and ensuring delivery to store of the material.”

Besides the in-box POS, the company packs the fruit in a high-graphic, variety-specific box that can also be used for building waterfall-like displays.

“This season we offered secondary display bins,” Wolter said. “These bins are a great way to create a destination within the produce department, draw attention to the new variety, and provides a ready-made location to display them.”

Rainier Fruit will support retail print ads with demos and additional merchandising to fit each buyer.

Junami and Lady Alice, which is entering its fifth season, retail for about $1.99 per pound, in the ballpark of other varieties like Pink Lady or Jazz.

“Consumers don’t seem to mind the higher price for prominently displayed, limited availability, great-tasting apples,” Wolter said.

Rainier Fruit will market Lady Alice for its February appearance in produce departments. “It has a subtle sweet-tart flavor and an heirloom quality dense cell structure,” Wolter said. “It’s incredibly slow to brown, making it the perfect apple for salads, cheese platters or for use by slicers.”

One of the qualities the company sought in developing both varieties — Junami and Lady Alice — is a capacity to build flavor while in storage.

“We have the flexibility to store them and release them later in the season when many regional, lower-volume varieties have been sold,” Wolter said.

Comments (6) Leave a comment 

I'm eating a Junami apple as I'm reading this article and let me say it's the best apple I've eaten in a long time. After wasting too much money on horrible Fuji apples--which used to be great but seem to have become undependable in the the last year or so--I've been searching for a good replacement and I've definitely found one! I'll be telling everyone about the Jumani, including the store where I purchased them. I just wish I could get them year-round, but the article says they're seasonal. Just my luck!

I am eating my first Junami with one hand and typing with the other, because I don't
want to put it down!

It's very, very good. I hope this variety maintains the quality in future crops. I have
suspected some apples showing up in markets over the last five years, claiming to be
Honeycrisp, or Jazz or some other newish variety to actually be counterfeits.

I suppose the quality of the apple depends on the quality of the orchard
overall, and how it's harvested, stored, etc. One doesn't want to pay
premium prices for fresh apples and then be disappointed as I have so
many times.

Apples are one of my favorite snacks, and I grew up around farms where
apples were grown for the family, so I know what goes into making a
good apple.

Thanks!

I purchased the Junami apple several days ago and just love it. I love the Honey Crisp which is also seasonal and was not available so took a chance on the new Junami. Bought seven and will be going back for more. Immediately phoned family members to tell them to rush out and try it. I will now be on the look out for the Lady Alice. Thanks for the new varieties!

Came across the Junami apple yesterday and there is nothing more refreshing than a great-tasting apple!

I found Junami at the Safeway in Ancortes on 1-17-2012. I love trying new apple varieties. In fact, I have what I say is my life-list, like some people have a bird list. As for taste experience, I find it to be tangy, crispy and juicy. It does have a good fruit flavor. It's quite an attractive apple. I do agree it is best used for snacking.

Great apple! I bought a bag of Junami apples at Sam's Club today and I thought it was
the best tasting apple that I have had in a long time. It was very flavorful and crisp. I
only wish you could get them the whole year.