Plenty of apple varieties available in Michigan, marketers say

Apples buyers looking for variety options can find plenty of choices in Michigan this season, says Diane Smith, executive director of the Lansing-based Michigan Apple Committee. 

“Michigan grows all the new and in-demand varieties consumers want, including managed varieties like Evercrisp, SweeTango, Kiku, Smitten and others,” she said. 

“We focus our marketing efforts on tried-and-true consumer favorites — Honeycrisp, gala and fuji. We know retailers work hard to offer many varieties, and it’s our goal to assist them in implementing programs that show what Michigan has to offer.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however, presents a potential challenge to “non-core” varieties, said Ken Korson, apple and asparagus category manager for Traverse City, Mich.-based North Bay Produce Inc.

“I think the issue this year with COVID, too, is a lot of retailers are cutting down on varieties, and they found with the peak of COVID in February and March that sales of apples went up but just with the main core varieties. So, it’s going to be a challenge at retail to keep the pipeline full, so as shippers, we’re going to have to get creative in pushing all the varieties. I think some will be more work, as far as getting them out there.”

North Bay’s main varieties are gala, Honeycrisp, mcintosh and golden delicious, which should be advantageous this year, Korson said.

“The older regional varieties will actually do fairly well because they’re core varieties in this region,” he said.

Overall, all varieties are likely to sell, Korson said.

“I actually think it’s gonna be a pretty good market this year,” he said. “I think some of the issue we’re gonna have is getting everything picked.”

Having varietal choices helps to build and maintain a solid customer base, said Chuck Yow, director of U.S. sales and business development with Comstock Park, Mich.-based Michigan Fresh Marketing LLC.

“You definitely have to be a broadline shipper (to) help with your distance of distribution and freight,” he said. 

“We grow every variety we can to have that full basket. We will offer a paula red and ginger gold, which is an early variety.”

The company also has an early Honeycrisp, called a Premier, starting Aug. 22; SweeTango, Aug. 24; and Wildfire, around Aug. 26, Yow said.

Gala kicks off the company’s traditional varieties on Sept. 7, with mcintosh Sept. 19; Smitten, Sept. 20; Honeycrisp, Sept. 23; empire, Sept. 28; jonathan and jonagold, Sept. 30; and golden delicious, Oct. 2, Yow said.

Red delicious, fuji, idared, braeburn and topaz get underway in October and Evercrisp and Pink Lady, early November, Yow said.

Fruit sizing is a factor in a successful apple portfolio, too, said Don Armock, president of Sparta, Mich.-based Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. 

“The Riveridge grower community has been right sizing their varietal mix for more than a decade, and this has led to a concentration in core varieties that represent the majority of consumer demand,” Armock said. 

“This is of utmost importance, and we have been working with new varieties as we have seen opportunities.” 

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