Harvest volume up by 20% year-over-year
Lockport, New York — Shoppers around the country will soon find SnapDragonTM apples in their local grocery stores. Crunch Time Apple Growers, a cooperative of more than 150 family growers across New York state, has begun harvesting this year’s crop.
“We’re looking forward to bringing SnapDragon apples back to an ever-growing list of retailers,” said Jessica Wells, Crunch Time Apple Growers’ executive director. “Thanks to additional acreage reaching maturity, this year’s harvest is up by 20%. We hope that means more people than ever before can experience the Monster Crunch of SnapDragon apples! We look forward to working with new retailers to bring SnapDragon apples to their customers this season!”
In addition to the increased harvest volume, many growers report that the apples’ color has developed nicely and the apples are trending larger than last season’s. An early spring led the trees to bloom and the fruit to set earlier than last year, driving an early harvest.
In the coming weeks, SnapDragon apples will arrive at a roster of retailers including both longtime sellers of the variety and newcomers. Shoppers can expect to find SnapDragon apples at stores including Aldi, BJ’s, Food Lion, The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, Lowes, Publix, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Sprouts, Target, Tops, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods. SnapDragon apple fans in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania can also find the apples at local farm markets.
Crunch Time is employing a variety of strategies to drive consumer demand for this year’s SnapDragon apple crop, including social media promotions to include Pinterest and YouTube, the development of new recipes meant for SnapDragon apples, updated point-of-sale materials, and market-specific advertising. For the third year, SnapDragon is the Official Apple of the Buffalo Bills. As part of the partnership, SnapDragon apples are present at Bills home games, and Bills stars like Greg Rousseau have appeared on trading cards, in radio ads and on billboards.
SnapDragon apples were developed by Cornell University’s Dr. Susan Brown in Geneva, NY. Retailers looking to sell SnapDragon apples can inquire at SnapDragonApple.com/#contact.
About SnapDragon
Apples When you bite into a SnapDragon apple, you’re not just tasting an incredible apple but the incredible love and labor of over 150 family growers across New York State. Carefully grown, every SnapDragon apple has an epic sweet, snappy flavor, Monster Crunch and incredible juiciness. SnapDragon apples are perfect for snacking on the go, refueling after a workout and pairing with nut butters and cheeses. For more information, please visit SnapDragonApple.com.
