Pink Lady apples

Apple marketer Pink Lady Europe has recorded a four per cent increase in volumes compared with the 2009/10 season, itself a remarkable campaign which saw the company boost volumes by some 32 per cent.

This latest performance marked the brand’s “maturity and ability to achieve consistency from season to season”, according to a company statement.

Volumes reached some 111,500 tonnes this season, a result that the group attributes to stringent quality controls, the promotional efforts of European distributors, continuous innovation and development of promotional strategies, and an effective television campaign across Europe.

According to Pink Lady Europe, the principal European markets remain as strong as ever, with Germany leading, the UK recording growth of 25 per cent, and France, Italy and Denmark rising by 20 per cent.

Markets including Italy, Spain and Russia were held back in their growth due to a shortage of suitable apple sizes early in the season, the company reported.

Other markets experiencing growth included Russia (10 per cent), Hungry (53 per cent), Slovakia (71 per cent), Israel (76 per cent), Singapore (143 per cent), United Arab Emirates (45 per cent) and Thailand (70 per cent).