Consumers in the US and Canada will soon be able to enjoy SMITTEN® brand apples all year round.
Prevar Limited is pleased to announce that it has an exclusive licence agreement with the Washington State-based company Pegasus Premier Fruit Co LLC, for the SMITTEN® brand apple to be grown, marketed and sold in the United States and Canada. Currently, North American consumers are only able to enjoy SMITTEN® brand apples, sourced from the Southern Hemisphere.
Pegasus co-owners Barclay Crane and Randy Steensma are veterans of patented fruit concepts since the late 90’s, and hold the common belief that there is a definite place in the North American market for superior and exclusive cultivars and brands.
“After more than a decade of research world-wide that led to this cultivar, in 2011 we were able to conclude a licence for exclusive North American production and distribution with Prevar Limited. Since then we’ve tested, then commercially planted this apple on ten sites throughout WA and will have another three new locations planted in 2015. It’s a cultivar with extraordinarily high eating quality, great storage and shelf life, good apparent yield, high bin pack-outs and initial USA sales commanding $55 -60 dollar per box. We are actively planting our own orchards with this cultivar, and will very shortly have commercial volume for the North American market,” reported Crane.
Steensma and Crane agree on the SMITTEN® brand apple potential. “We see the cultivar as much more than a niche club cultivar. We believe it may have all the qualities to become an anchor cultivar as older varieties like Red Delicious and Golden Delicious decline,” said Steensma.
“Prevar is delighted to have Pegasus as its North American licensee,” says Brett Ennis, Chief Executive of Prevar. “Barclay and Randy are passionate skilled professionals who have the courage and vision to make this apple a significant success in their territory. This apple has now been commercialized in five territories to date with strong interest from several other territories where this cultivar is currently being tested.”
“New Zealand began commercial planting of this cultivar six years ago and has exported world-wide from mature orchards for the last three years. The North American reaction has been powerfully positive with retailers selling through and asking for more, even at Honeycrisp-like retail prices. We intend to work closely with New Zealand producers in opposite-season marketing to add value to the cultivar,” added Steensma.
For more information on the SMITTEN® brand apple selection, please contact Barclay Crane or Randy Steensma at Randy@PegasusPremierFruit.com or Sales@PegasusPremierFruit.com, Ph. +1 509-663-2625; or Brett Ennis, Chief Executive, Prevar Limited, bme@prevar.co.nz, Ph. +64 6 8352530 or visit www.prevar.co.nz