WildTwist apple variety available through May from Hess Brothers

With demand snapping up available supply, the WildTwist apple is expected to be marketed through May this year, Chris Sandwick, director of marketing at Lancaster, Pa.-based Hess Brother’s Fruit Co., said in a news release.

WildTwist, a blend of the Honeycrisp and cripps pink varieties, has been a project for Hess Brother’s Fruit Co. for more than a decade, the release said. The variety is a juicy sweet apple with a hint of tartness, according to the marketer.

The new variety is typically sold from January through June; however, this year’s supply is projected to sell out early due to a rapid rise in popularity, according to the release.

“The seasonality makes these apples a bit more special,” Sandwick said in the release. “Once customers discover them, they come back for more.”

Origin story

Second-generation company leaders Fred and Jerry Hess began developing the variety in 2011, and the current generation has carried their vision forward, according to the release.

“Our goal was to give apple lovers a great eating experience at a time of year when they may not expect it,” owner Ryan Hess said in the release. “We set out to grow an apple that tastes better and lasts longer, and we’ve done that with WildTwist.”

The company works with grower-partners in Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia to grow the apple commercially, and more than 400 acres of WildTwist are planted across dozens of Eastern U.S. farms, the release said.

Sandwick said the apple has already become a favorite of apple buyers across the country.

“For people to reach for an apple instead of processed, unhealthy snacks, it has to deliver an exceptional eating experience — and that’s exactly what they’ll get with WildTwist,” Sandwick said in the release.

Consumers can find where the variety is available at wildtwistapples.com, the release said.