Worldwide Fruit promoted its Jazz apple brand at Fruit Logistica in preparation of its first significant commercial production this year.
“For us, Jazz is a very exciting variety which is very successful and has created some huge retail interest,” said Gary Harrison, WWF commercial manager. “The apple market is very stable so to get something new coming in is very exciting.”
UK Jazz production volumes for 2006 are estimated at 150,000 18kg cases and Harrison said if volumes continue to increase year on year, the UK market would be producing 1.5m cases by 2012.
“There’s nothing certain in this business - the apple market is oversupplied and the apple prices have crashed in the last two years,” Harrison said. “Pink Lady have increased their volume and maintained their price in a weak apple market, and that’s what Jazz has done.”
