Global apple industry giant Enza has reported on a positive start to the Northern Hemisphere marketing season for fruit produced in the US and Europe, with results led by strong sales and increased returns from the group's Jazz variety.
According to the company, which is part of the New Zealand-based Turners & Growers group, sales of Jazz apples produced in the Northern Hemisphere for the 2010/11 campaign have increased across all major markets, with the variety showing good returns despite growing competition across the board.
Enza general manager Snow Hardy revealed that sales of Jazz in the European Union are well ahead of schedule, with good returns despite strong competition from other fruit varieties, while European demand has led to Enzafruit Continent bringing in US Jazz as European production is already 50 per cent sold just one-third of the way through the season.
In the UK in particular, Jazz is now supplied across all the major retailers and is, according to the group, being rapidly accepted by both consumers and retailers as the UK's premium apple offering.
'The UK Jazz season has started with a strong promotional push with key retail partners,' said Mr Hardy. 'Range extensions with new packaging formats mean that our customers in the UK can buy Jazz in more ways than ever, and that is boosting sales.'
Across the Atlantic, what will be a record crop of Washington-grown Jazz in the apples have started well in the US, with larger year-to-date volumes sold than previous seasons.
Part of the fruit's success has been down to strong early demand for small sizes, owed to year-round programmes on Jazz Snackers and export demand from supermarkets in Thailand, Enza noted.
Mr Hardy added that while the Northern Hemisphere season is underway, growers in New Zealand are reporting on a good campaign as they look ahead to this year's Jazz harvesy.
Indeed, New Zealand-grown Jazz volumes are set to top 1.5m cartons in 2011, while Enza's latest apple, Envy, will see over 100,000 cartons shipped.
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