The first of T&G Global’s premium new season Envy branded apples have departed Aotearoa New Zealand, bound for China.
The anticipated 2024 Aotearoa New Zealand Envy crop is the largest to-date, with 2.9 million tray carton equivalents — or 205 million apples — expected to be exported to customers in 60 countries this season, according to a news release.
T&G Global said this brings its total global Envy volumes, grown across 13 countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, to 8.8 million tray carton equivalents — or over 700 million apples for the 2023-24 season.
“Over the last 15 years, Envy has grown to become one of the leading premium apple brands in key global markets, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand, and in recent years it has experienced double-digit growth in the U.S. and Vietnam,” Shane Kingston, T&G Global’s director of international sales and marketing, said in the release. “This season’s harvest looks to be one of the best yet, with the fruit having superb color, size and Brix. And over coming years our Envy volumes will continue to increase as new plantings in Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwihiti Gisborne and Nelson continue to mature.”
T&G Global says it has invested heavily in its dual-hemisphere multisourcing strategy, and the Aotearoa New Zealand apples season complements its Northern Hemisphere counterpart to meet consumer demand for high-quality Envy year-round. Globally, over 12,400 acres are planted with Envy, the release said.
“This year’s North American-grown Envy crop was exceptional, with the fruit sold domestically as well as exported to Asia,” Kingston said. “The U.S. is an important, highly competitive market and it’s great to see Envy stocked in approximately 70% of supermarkets including Walmart, Costco, Safeway, Kroger and Sam’s Club.”
