The fresh-picked Honeycrisp crop from Chile has arrived in the U.S., offered by Elgin, Minn.-based apple and pear importer Honeybear Brands.
“We are always excited to share our new crop at a time of year when apples start to lose their fresh, flavorful taste due to months in storage,” Don Roper, vice president sales and marketing, said in a news release.
Honeybear invested a lot in its dual-hemisphere supply chain program more than two decades ago, and 2021 presents more opportunities to transition conventional orchards in Chile to organic production, Roper said.
This year, Honeybear Brands will double 2020’s organic Honeycrisp supply, with increasing quantities going forward, he said.
“With over half of million cases of fresh Honeycrisp arriving this spring and summer, it really is a good time to promote the best eating apple in our marketplace,” Roper said.
The Honeybear direct import program also features a supply of conventional and organic in each of the apple and pear varieties, including Honeycrisp, gala, granny smith, jonagold, fuji, braeburn and Pink Lady apples, as well as bartlett, bosc and Asian pears.
The company expects to import more than 1.5 million cases of apples and pears in 2021 from Chile, Argentina and New Zealand.
Honeybear is a trademark of Wescott Agri Products.
