LOS ANGELES – At the peak of its New Zealand apple season, Giumarra Wenatchee is finding success with its new apple varieties.
In addition to traditional varieties such as Gala and Braeburn, the division offers Tentation, Eve, Divine and Smitten apple varieties, all grown by Heartland Fruit of New Zealand.
This is the fourth season that Giumarra is offering Tentation, a club variety with controlled volume. Tentation is a cross between Golden Delicious and Grifer, with a yellow color and orange blush. It is available June through August.
“We have shipped good Tentation volumes to several of our customers who like the apple for its unique, sweet flavor. It’s also very aromatic and does well with sampling in retail stores,” says Tom Richardson, division manager for Giumarra Wenatchee.
Eve is a variety exclusively grown by Heartland that is available mid-June through August. Giumarra is the exclusive supplier for Eve in the U.S. market.
“Eve is dense, crisp apple with a beautiful cherry-red color that stores extremely well,” says Richardson.
The Divine variety is in its second season, and Giumarra is also the exclusive supplier for this variety in the U.S. market. The Divine is a highly sustainably-grown, bi-colored apple with a strong, intensely sweet flavor available June through October. It is a blend of Golden Delicious and Grive Rouge.
New for the 2011 season is Smitten, an early club variety that ships March through June. Giumarra looks to double the volume next year with this apple.
“Smitten’s tag line is ‘Once bitten, forever smitten.’ Our customers responded very well to this variety because it has a unique, tangy flavor,” says Richardson.
The division will wrap up its New Zealand apple season in September.
About the Giumarra Companies
The Giumarra Companies is a leading international network of fresh produce growers, distributors and marketers that encompasses a world of freshness. Since its inception in 1922, the Giumarra group of companies has taken pride in a longstanding commitment and tradition of quality, reliability and innovation to feed the world in a healthy way. For more information, visit: www.giumarra.com.
Source: Giumarra Companies
