Latest News From Apples

President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Doug McKalip as agricultural negotiator for the United States Trade Representative.

Stemilt Growers is gearing up for the start of Rave apple harvest in early August.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, Inc. has announced a second-year collaboration with Biglerville, Pa.-based grower-shipper Hollabaugh Bros., Inc.

South Africa is set for record apple, pear and table grape production in marketing year 2021-22, according to a new USDA report. But the report says growers and exporters also face some dark clouds.

Grape production and exports will rise for 2021-22 but pears and apple exports are expected to sink, according to a new USDA report.

What was once considered a short U.S. apple crop is getting a little bit more average later in the marketing season.

New Zealand’s apple production and exports will rise modestly in the marketing year 2021-22, a new USDA report says.

The New York apple crop outlook is positive in early May, and new technology in the fields is helping estimate its potential, one major shipper reports.

Berries, apples, bananas and citrus were the top organic fruits ranked by sales during 2021, according to the State of Organic Produce 2021 report from the Organic Produce Network and Category Partners

U.S. fresh apples in storage on April 1 totaled 53.3 million 42-pound cartons, 4% more than the inventories reported last April and 1.9% less than the April five-year average, according to the U.S. Apple Association.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers is using Farmworker Awareness Week to celebrate its companywide Equitable Food Initiative certification.

U.S. apple inventories on March 1 totaled 95.8 million 42-pound cartons, 0.8% more than a year ago and 2.2% below the five-year average for that date.

With domestic Honeycrisp supply light, imports from the Southern Hemisphere will soon give retailers more volume to promote, according to Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing, Honeybear Brands.

It’s easy for consumers to be overwhelmed by choice at the supermarket. Organic versus conventional adds yet another choice, and more shoppers are choosing organic fruit.

New Zealand’s 2022 apple season is underway, with T&G Global harvesting the first of this season’s apples, according to a news release.

While the apple category is being impacted by inflation and supply issues, at least one proprietary apple variety is biting into a rather “glorious” stride. 

Experience shows that Mother Nature always has the final say even against the bast laid out agriculture business plans.

U.S. apple growers have suffered big drops in export sales to Southeast Asia, and retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on U.S. apples in 2018 are the reason why.

Stemilt’s Fast Facts: The Cast is kicking off the new year with a brand-new episode featuring new faces.

U.S. fresh apple holdings on Jan. 1 totaled 87.7 million bushels, 2.9% less than the inventories reported a year ago, according to a new report from the Falls Church, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.

Yakima, Wash.-based FirstFruits Marketing has added Zillah, Wash.-based Stadelman Fruit as their partner for pear growing and distribution. 

Hudson River Fruit Distributors is actively marketing SnapDragon, RubyFrost and EverCrisp apples in 2022, said Alisha Albinder Camac, owner and operator of the Milton, N.Y-based apple marketer.

From the Garden of Eden to today’s refrigerator fruit drawer, the good old apple is a consistent heavyweight in the produce department.

Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is focused on year-round supply for its partners, said Dan Davis, director of business development for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based marketer.

Superfresh Growers will have organic and conventional Honeycrisp and gala variety apples through the summer, said Cat Gipe-Stewart, communication manager for Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, Wash.

New York apples have a number of winning attributes, and the Apples from New York is touting all of them, said Cynthia Haskins, president and CEO of the Fishers, N.Y.-based New York Apple Association.

SnapDragon and RubyFrost both saw their largest crops yet in 2021, and the shorter crop other varieties have experienced is providing those two varieties opportunities to get in front of new consumers.

Promoting Cosmic Crisp apples is front and center for Yakima, Wash.-based Evans Fruit Co., said Scott Hennessey, account manager and coordinator.

The rapid growth of omnichannel marketing delivers big opportunities for influencing purchases, and CMI Orchards has a digital team in place to work with retailers.

Brewster, Wash.-based Honeybear Marketing is promoting the health benefits of Pazazz apples through recipes and other promotions, said Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing.

Yakima, Wash.-based Sage Fruit Co. has ample Cosmic Crisp volume and will be promoting the variety extensively through the winter and well into 2022, said Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing.

The Packer's 2022 Fresh Trends survey reveals that 55% of more than 1,000 consumers surveyed last fall said they purchased fresh apples in the previous 12 months.

Several newer apple varieties are being promoted by Sparta, Mich.-based Riveridge Produce. 

Stemilt Growers will work with retailers to promote Cosmic Crisp, organic fruit, and the marketer’s Lil Snappers programs through the winter and into the spring.

The average U.S. promoted retail price for apples was up an average of 5% in 2021 compared with 2020.

It is not your grandparents’ apple marketing job. 

Apple marketing business updates.

Bagged apple sales haven’t disappeared nearly two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but the trend toward packaged fruit is moderating some, industry leaders report.

Organic apple supplies are tight and getting tighter in the 2021-22 marketing season.

A special CatStat report looking at data from Nielson Answers, total US for the 52-week period ending November 27, 2021, paints an opportune landscape for branded apple promotions as strong category builders. 

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride on the Stemilt and Hansen Fruit sleigh!

Fast Facts: The Cast met one last time for the year of 2022 to wrap up the fall season and analyze the last 12 weeks of data from Nielson retail scan data.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the publication of a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend the Apple Crop Provisions.

U.S. fresh apples in storage Dec. 1 showed a slight decline compared with a year, according to the U.S. Apple Association.

The Hot Climate Programme, an industry-leading breeding programme, is capturing the attention of fresh produce companies globally, as the demand for climate-resistant fruit increases. 

Envy apples remain the best-selling premium apple brand for the 52-weeks ending Nov. 6, according to Nielsen statistics.

FirstFruits Marketing is excited to announce the launch of another Opal apple season.

New year’s resolutions are on everyone’s mind this time of year making it the perfect time to promote one of Stemilt’s most successful brands, Lil Snappers.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Startchy, Inc. is proud to announce the U.S. launch of Yumbrella, their organic coating for the apple industry.

The U.S. Apple Association today announced the launch of its new emerging apple leader program, the NextGen Apple Fellowship.