The Bramley apple sector is riding high on its achievements this year. Stronger demand has lifted sales by an impressive 14.5 per cent this season, and producers and campaigners are in a bullish mood.
“Though there is not one single reason for the increase in sales, there is evidence of people eating more healthily and buying British goods,” says OrchardWorld’s Alan Griffiths.
Philip Acock, Fourayes managing director, attributes last year’s soaring demand to the success of Magners, the Irish cider. “A significant portion of apples were sent to Ireland, which inevitably affected other Bramley buyers,” he adds.
However, a poor summer contributed to lower than anticipated sales of the beverage, which Fourayes hoped would ease pressure on supply. Fourayes produces some 1,500 tonnes of Bramley apples in its orchards every year, and processes some 1,000t. The company supplies all the large bakery and dessert manufacturers in the UK, including Kipling, Heinz and Northern Foods.
Sales have also been boosted by good-quality fruit this year, say marketers, and many agree that promotions are also bringing in the consumers. “A number of retailers offered special promotions at the start of this season; for example, Sainsbury’s ran a Cox and Bramley deal where you would buy a pack of each apple for £2,” explains Griffiths. “Bramley just flew off the shelves.”
Greater input from retailers has certainly boosted the Bramley cause, says Adrian Barlow, chairman of the Bramley Campaign. “Several multiples have looked at the way they are marketing Bramley and have now provided more shelf space, which has led to a greater impact in store,” he tells FPJ. “Some retailers have also changed their pack formats, providing more choice for consumers.”
Tesco is the leading Bramley apple retailer, with a market share of 32.2 per cent. According to the Bramley Campaign, the UK’s largest retailer has grown its Bramley share by more than two per cent in the last 12 months.
Following suit is Sainsbury’s, with a 23 per cent market share, while Morrisons controls 14.1 per cent, Asda 10 per cent, Waitrose 7.1 per cent, and The Co-op 6.6 per cent.
According to recent figures from the Bramley Campaign, apple sales are up 14.5 per cent on the previous year. “This is all the more impressive as, in August, sales were below those achieved in 2006, so we started at a lower point,” says Barlow.
While interest in Bramley is surging, producers warn that there could be a shortage of supply later in the year.
“Unfavourable weather last summer led to smaller fruit sizes and lower yields than originally hoped,” says Acock. “Meanwhile, with Bramley consumption being so high, the market ran out early and we are now facing a 13-month selling season.”
Acock tells FPJ that Fourayes is fortunate to have a good store of apples available: “Between here and Northern Ireland, we are hoping the general supply of Bramley will be enough to go around within the next year.”
However, he warns that the company will still have to work hard on further purchases and will continue to monitor supply carefully. “In the meantime, we will watch and wait to see what the next growing season brings,” Acock says.
Indeed, there is concern that availability will be tight during July and August. “It may be that we have a four- to six-week period where there are little or no volumes available,” says Norman Collett’s Andy Sadler. He adds that processors, which buy the majority of Bramley, were already assessing industry stocks in late January, and apple producers have been receiving queries from the sector.
Greater awareness of the product among consumers has further boosted sales. The Bramley Campaign, which was established in 1989 as an attempt to protect UK Bramley growers’ interests and to raise awareness of the variety’s benefits among consumers, insists that it is “very important” to identify the variety as a cooking apple.
“There are some consumers who are unfamiliar with Bramley and don’t know it is a cooking apple,” Barlow explains. “Some might think it is a tart eating apple and not try it again. Highlighting the fact that Bramley is a cooking apple has had a beneficial effect on sales.”
Recent industry initiatives include the launching of an individual apple label for Bramley last summer. Although this has been considered in the past, as a large proportion of Bramley apples are sent to processors, there were concerns processors would object to the extra costs associated with labelling.
“However, as retailers were asking for labelling, it was decided that this would go ahead,” Barlow says.
This year’s Bramley Apple Week ran from February 3-10 and, according to Acock, the week is a “great opportunity” for apple farmers to promote Britain’s favourite cooking apple.
Fourayes says the week gives it the opportunity to raise awareness of the apple and show how it is grown and processed. During Bramley Apple Week, the company ran an internal competition exploring the history of the apple, offering two employees the opportunity to win an iPod Nano or Shuffle. “This will both inform our staff and get them involved in Bramley Apple Week,” Acock says. “Fourayes will also be issuing a guide from its in-house expert about the life of the Bramley, from growth to processing.”
He adds: “Bramley apples are exclusive to England and Northern Ireland - other countries have tried to grow them, but without success. They form a staple part of the British diet and are certainly something to celebrate.”
The Bramley Campaign has a number of aces up its sleeve this year. The consumer website - www.bramleyapples.co.uk - has been relaunched, and went live on January 31. “Even though it is early days, we’ve already had a good response,” Barlow says. “The website has been updated to make it user-friendly, and has been given a contemporary feel - this will ensure the campaign appeals to a new audience, but without alienating existing Bramley users.”
The campaign is keen to attract younger consumers and those reluctant cooks who either cannot or do not want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Eight new, simple recipes, including recipes for a Bramley and bacon buttie and Bramley tiramisu, which on average take 10 minutes to make, are featured on the website.
Barlow hopes to also attract consumers who were born abroad and are unfamiliar with Bramley, by including the apple in more ethnic recipes. “Obviously, the recipes can never be fully authentic, but we want to be as close to authenticity as possible,” he explains. “It’s a case of reaching out to them and getting Bramley to appeal to these potential consumers.”
The website also contains a ‘pie-cast’, demonstrating how to make an easy Bramley apple pie. The five-minute video is performed by the 1649 Show, a comedy group, and features a hapless dinner party host being guided through the process of making the perfect pie. “We’re hoping that those who make the pie will follow on with other Bramley recipes,” Barlow says.
As well as consumer activity, the Bramley Campaign has also produced new, colourful posters for grocery stores and wholesalers, and will distribute material to village halls, libraries and, most importantly, schools.
Campaigners are confident that these new activities will bring real value to the sector. “It is important to ensure the Bramley Apple Campaign is operating in a manner which inspires confidence among growers,” says Barlow. “They pay the funding voluntarily and we will continue to publish four newsletters and demonstrate to growers that their money is being well spent.”
Barlow has replaced Ian Mitchell, who stepped down as chairman of the Bramley Campaign after 16 years in the role. “I was very fortunate to work closely with Ian Mitchell,” Barlow says. “Ian did a tremendous amount of work and the industry owes him a great deal of gratitude.”
Although it is a relatively new role for Barlow, he has been involved in the Bramley campaign since 1999. “I first began working on expanding activity with caterers, foodservice firms and manufacturers,” he says. “Roughly speaking, 66 per cent of the Bramleys produced are processed - it’s very important to flag up Bramley, as so many different products are used in the catering sectors.
“But I’ve been working on all aspects of the campaign for the last five years - it’s a lovely product to be associated with.”
It is the bicentennial year for Bramley apples in 2009, and the campaign is already putting together a range of activities designed to engage consumers. “This landmark will open up a whole raft of new activities and opportunities for exposure,” anticipates Acock.
With the success enjoyed by the sector this season, campaigners are hoping that Bramley will find favour for many years to come.
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• The first Bramley tree grew in Nottinghamshire in 1809 when a young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, planted pips in her garden.
• Bramleys were a useful source of food during the First World War.
• The Bramley Campaign was established in 1989.
• Bramley apples are grown across Kent, East Anglia, the West Midlands and Northern Ireland.
• Bramley contains more vitamin C than other apples.
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