Pink Lady® apples will never become a commodity product, according to Andy Macdonald of Coregeo, the trademark owner’s UK representative.
Macdonald said that reports elsewhere in the trade press suggesting that Pink Lady’s® future on the UK marketplace could "hang in the balance" were overstated.
"The whole point of having a marketing arm is to promote the product and drive demand as product availability increases," said Macdonald. "There are not many new plantings now so there will not be any surges in production. Pink Lady® will never become a commodity apple because the volumes won’t be there."
The debate comes as Asda is half-way through a six-week trial whereby it has stopped paying a levy on Pink Lady® and instead is selling lower quality Cripps Pink under its own Extra Special brand as Pink Apples. "Quality is still extremely good," said an Asda spokesman. "And there is no impact on growers as our cost prices have not changed. The money saved from the levy is being invested to reduce retail prices. We have been working with the Pink Lady® Association on this and it is only a trial at this stage."
Morrisons’ long-held position is to market true Cripps Pink as such, and Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer are all supportive of Pink Lady®, regarding it as an investment on the part of growers to secure their future.
"We are doing everything possible to give them stores the support they deserve," said Macdonald. "Pink Lady® has really created its own success as it is a great tasting, great looking apple. In the past four years, sales have risen by 120 per cent in the UK."
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