Apples
Apples are a perennial favorite with consumers: 90% of all consumers buy apples, according to The Packer 2026 Fresh Trends Report. The ever-growing number of apple varieties creates marketing opportunities for Produce Retailers.
The growing season has been excellent for Washington apples, says Robb Myers, and that is just the start of the good news.
Stemilt Growers produces nearly 30% of its apples and about 15% of its pears organically, says Brianna Shales, marketing director for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based marketer.
While the U.S. Apple Association reports some movement of fresh and processing apples, the overall number of apples in holding still remains high.
Despite weather challenges this season, growers “look hopeful for ’24,” said Cynthia Haskins, president and CEO of New York Apples. “We have a good mix of different apple varieties that are out there ...”
Additions to the Geneva rootstock line are semi-dwarfing, productive and even fire blight resistant.
With a large crop in apple-producing states, like Pennsylvania, marketers say there is a need to boost consumption. “That will take some time and some effort,” said Chris Sandwick of Hess Bros. Fruit., Lancaster, Pa.
Envy apples are transitioning to new-season fresh imports, primarily from New Zealand, over the coming weeks.
Elite Apple Co. increases Honeybear Brands’ current supply of Midwestern regional varieties, giving retailers locally grown Midwest apples in addition to Honeybear Brands’ Washington production and imported apples.
When Milton, N.Y.-based Hudson River Fruit Distributors kicks off its new season in August, it will mark the 60th year the company has been shipping apples to retailers and some foodservice establishments.
Kissabel apple brand has expanded to North America, with Stemilt growing and marketing the first pink- and red-fleshed apple varieties this fall.
Among it’s contributions to the event, the association will provide New York state-grown apples at the finish line, at several related events and to race volunteers.
Chilean table grape production will jump by nearly 15% in the 2023-24 marketing year, a new report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service says.
It’s in every produce department, but the popular fruit’s many varieties and visual versatility make it ripe for dynamic displays.
The Wenatchee, Wash.-based company says retailers will benefit from another four months of the variety’s availability, with Juici deliveries expected through May.
The fresh apples are to be distributed to child nutrition and other related domestic food assistance programs for fiscal year 2024.
In the U.S. Apple Association’s latest report, fresh and processing apple numbers remain higher than last year and the five-year average for holdings.
The first of T&G Global’s premium new season Envy branded apples have departed Aotearoa New Zealand, bound for China.
Michael Schadler, who brings extensive experience with representing growers, packers and shippers, will begin the role in September, succeeding Todd Fryhover who will retire this year.
The Elgin, Minn.-based company says the program supplies apples that are custom packed in sizes and specifications that best meet retailers’ needs.
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.
Cashmere, Wash.-based Crunch Pak is collaborating with Minecraft and Kellogg’s to create a mini-meal snacking solution.
Envy apples has entered a partnership with The Pioneer Woman magazine to spark consumer trials, stimulate repeat purchases and inspire expanded usage occasions.
That is the view of the World Apple and Pear Association, according to a report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Association.
SweeTango apples will start shipping from across the country shortly after Labor Day and will be in the market longer this year as supplies ramp up, marketers report.
This initial planting is part of a planned 67 acres T&G Global will plant on its Hawke’s Bay orchards over the next three years.
As parents and kids are shopping for back-to-school needs, Rave apples can be offered as a healthy addition to any lunch box or after-school snack, says Brianna Shales, marketing director for Stemilt Growers.
“We can’t wait to share with retailers the strategic growth that has come to light with this year’s crop of apples and pears, and Stemilt specifically,” said Stemilt’s Brianna Shales.
Along with bright green skin and a quirky personality, Bob for Apples from New York is the anchor for NYAA News, a virtual news station for apple lovers everywhere.
“We’re seeing robust crops across all our orchards, including those on both coasts and the Midwest,” Don Roper, vice president at Honeybear Brands, said in a news release.
After growers faced a year of weather extremes in 2022, Washington state rebounded in 2023, increasing production by about 38% year over year, according to the U.S. Apple Association.