The first commercial volumes of Posy apples will be exported from New Zealand this season, with the Chinese market a key sales target.
Leading suppliers Bostock New Zealand and Mr Apple have teamed up to exclusively grow and market the high-colour, early-season offering.
Bostock New Zealand owner, John Bostock, said he was excited to finally have enough volume to bring the apple to international markets.
“We wanted to breed an apple which would be ready early for our Asian markets,” Bostock explained. “The Posy apple is harvested early February and ahead of most other New Zealand apple varieties.”
Posy was bred in Havelock North by David Cranwell. The apple is a crossbreed between New Zealand Rose and Royal Gala, both popular, strong flavoured apples bred in New Zealand.
“David saw the potential for a pink, sweet apple for the Asian market, so we have worked together with Mr Apple to create New Zealand’s sweetest apple,” Bostock claimed.
“Teaming up with Mr Apple to exclusively grow this new apple variety means we can offer a wide range of customers throughout the market and take advantage of each growers strengths and especially our organic experience and offering.”
Bostock New Zealand and Mr Apple will look to add value by building awareness for the Posy brand, a process that will be supported by a full-scale marketing campaign in core markets over years to come.
Bostock identified China as a key market for the variety. While the Chinese market remains small for Bostock New Zealand, the development of new, exciting varietiesgives the company an opportunity to increase its footprint in this country.
“Developing exclusive, high quality apple varieties hasbeen a big focus for Bostock New Zealand over recent years,” Bostock said. “Our Asian customers are really excited about the oncoming new varieties we have.”
