The fruit is grown under licence, by Adrian Scripps in the UK, by Fruitmasters in the Netherlands, and by other partners in Belgium, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria and is a cross between Gala and Braeburn. “Kanzi has an excellent balance of sweetness and sharpness” said Leonard Kampschöer of Fruitmasters Holland, which has a stake in Greenstar-Kanzi Europe, which in turn controls the intellectual property and breeding rights of Kanzi.
Volumes are still very limited as the fruit is so new but plantings are increasing in anticipation of strong consumer demand. “At the moment there are about 900,000 trees planted in Europe,” said Kampschöer. “And we are planning for the coming years with probably another 400,000-500,000 trees going in over the next year or so.”
One of the apple’s main attributes, apart from its distinctive taste, is its extensive shelf life. Storage quality is also very impressive. “The pressures of Kanzi are really high,” says Kampschöer. “This is an apple that once it is in the fruit bowl, can last for two to three weeks with no problems. In fact, the taste gets better. It has a fresh, red skin and the perfect shape and size. Fruit is very firm, crisp and uniform.”
Because of the firmness and good pressure, Fruitmasters expects that production of Kanzi in Europe can provide a 12-month season, but there are plans to develop acreage elsewhere. “Kanzi will be fully developed in north-western Europe and in southern Europe,” says Kampschöer. “And we are looking to the southern hemisphere to get year-round production. There are 15 trial orchards planted in Chile and South Africa.”
Because there is also UK production, Fruitmasters foresees a marketing opportunity for the UK crop as a premium, domestically grown line in a market where a percentage of consumers are concerned about supporting local growers. “We believe that this apple has a great future in north-western Europe and particularly for the UK,” said Kampschöer. “The taste of the apple really fits in well with the modern consumer profile.”
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