Oppy’s Southern Hemisphere organic apple season begins

The Oppenheimer Group’s Southern Hemisphere organic apple season is beginning with royal gala apples from Argentina.

Volume will build with Chilean fruit as well, and Southern Hemisphere granny smiths and red delicious varieties will be followed by New Zealand organic royal galas, fujis and braeburns in May, and Jazz and Pacific Rose in June. Cripps pink and fujis from Argentina and Chile will also arrive in June, according to a news release.

“We’ve had a great response to the new crop, which is following the demand curve for high-quality organic apples,” Oppy organic category manager Chris Ford said in the release. “We have premium sizes available, providing a favorable alternative to the small size domestic apples coming out of controlled atmosphere now.”

Oppy has organic apples in bulk and 2- and 3-pound branded bags from Chile and Argentina for the first time this season, according to the release.

“Oppy’s organic programs are growing as a whole, so we’ve developed packaging with a cohesive look,” Ford said in the release. “Our new packs make it easy for shoppers to recognize that the fruit inside is organic by sporting the widely recognized yellow tone associated with organics as well as the USDA Organic logo, while calling out the variety each pack contains.”

The import program complements Oppy’s organic Washington program, which includes Jazz, Pacific Rose and Envy, which was named the top apple in the recently Munch Madness competition from the U.S. Apple Association.

Oppy’s domestic organic pear varieties are winding down or have finished, according to the release, but organic Argentine pears began in early March. The company’s imported organic pear program lasts through June.