Set among the picturesque Adelaide Hills in South Australia is a cooperative of growers who are embracing three new apple varieties that the industry is hopeful will add vibrancy to the Australian and international apple category.
Lenswood Apples, a cooperative that represents around 70 per cent of South Australia’s production and packing of apples, has three branded apples in its sights through its new business arm ‘Next Fruit Generation Australia’. Coming into commercialisation in coming years, the three apples are trademarked; Rockit, MiApple and RedLove.
Established in 1933, Lenswood Apples has a long history producing and packing apples in the state, and wanted to preserve this South Australian icon. As a result, the cooperative created a new national and international business arm called Next Fruit Generation Australia, allowing it to partner with apple producers in Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland.
The first variety to be commercialised is Rockit, which will be launched at Adelaide’s Taste Australia event this May. The unique red miniature apple is packaged in tubes of two to five apples – perfect for snacking, grabbing on the go and kids’ lunchboxes.
Originating from the Havelock North Fruit Company in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay, Rockit apple has had notable success on the other side of the Tasman, and has already experienced strong interest in Asia, including in Thailand and Malaysia.
Next year, Next Fruit Generation Australia is preparing to release MiApple, an early, block red apple that will come with a high-energy campaign trading off the success of the corporate Apple’s ‘i’ prefix, and other notable campaigns include ‘MiAdidas’.
For 2018, red is in, with the Swiss-bred red-flesh RedLove apple due for commercial release. The tart, crisp apple tastes similar to a Granny Smith and will be produced in juicing and eating strains, which are disease resistant and non-browning.
“RedLove will be a game changer for the internal red apple,” James Walters, Next Fruit Generation Australia’s CEO told Fruitnet. “It’s black spot and powdery mildew resistant, and we’re investing in an R&D project on the dietary values of the red flesh – which is high in anthocyanin, much like blueberries.”
Walters said Next Fruit Generation Australia will be looking at producing both conventional and organic RedLove apples as well as exploring value-added products such as RedLove baby food or RedLove apple sauces, both for the domestic and export markets. RedLove is also being considered for the home garden market to build the brand to the conscious consumer.
“Innovation and point of difference itself will not create a successful new apple variety, therefore, we are investing in marketing and brand development,” Walters explained. “We need strong brand exposure and we need to be targeting the right consumers.”
