Honeybear Brands ready to fill Honeycrisp gap with Chilean fruit

Elgin, Minn.-based Honeybear Brands is bringing in Chilean Honeycrisp apples to help fill a shortfall of that variety in the U.S. supply.

With the 2022 fresh crop down 10% this year, 2023 summer imports will be important, says Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing at Honeybear Brands.

“The supply of some key apple varieties from Washington state is lower this year, particularly Honeycrisp, the star of the category,” Roper said in a news release. “Yearly crop production is impacted by the elements, and we don’t have much control, so a dual-hemisphere approach has been an important strategy for Honeybear Brands for over twenty years. Today our growing partners in Chile and our retail partners in the U.S. depend on us to deliver a seamless supply of conventional and organic fruit worthy of wearing the Honeybear Brands label. With packing and distribution facilities on both coasts, we can ensure the lowest landed costs and fastest delivery of product for our retailers.”

Roper said in the release that the Honeybear Brands import program provides summer supply assurance and allows retailers to drive category sales with strong promotable volumes of Honeycrisp along with other key apple and pear varieties.

Honeycrisp is currently being harvested in Chile, and this year’s crop is expected to be the largest since the program was started, Roper said in the release. The variety will represent about 70% of the total Southern Hemisphere supply, according to the company.

“Chile has seen an outstanding growing season, meaning customers can expect excellent flavor, retail sizing and premium quality,” Roper said in the release.