Kissabel Opens the Northern Hemisphere Season With a New Programme Manager

The wait is over: the new Kissabel® season in the Northern Hemisphere has just begun. The innovative range of coloured-flesh apples – from pink to deep red – returns to the market with excellent prospects and a series of activities designed to support retailers and engage consumers. The commercial window opened in early September in the first markets of the Northern Hemisphere, continuing with different and specific timings depending on each country, with the aim, in some cases, of running until January.

Once again, IFORED programme partners will take centre stage: US-based Next Big Thing (NBT), British Worldwide Fruit, and French partners Mylord-Gerfruit, Mesfruits and Blue Whale. They will be followed by Italian partners, the NovaMela Consortium (Melinda, VIP, Rivoira, La Trentina and VOG), Germany’s Red Apple Germany (Elbe-Obst, Obst vom Bodensee) and Switzerland’s Fenaco, all focusing solely on the Rouge variety.

With its inimitable appearance, exceptional taste and distinctive identity, Kissabel® is once again set to win over a young, curious audience drawn to surprising, naturally flavoursome products.

The new season opens with a major change in the leadership of the project: Jeremy Linsell takes on the role of Programme Manager for Kissabel®, taking the baton, in a spirit of continuity, from Emmanuel de Lapparent, who has led the brand’s development since its earliest days. A graduate in Agricultural Engineering, Linsell brings more than 27 years of experience at the highest levels of the fresh fruit industry, including over twenty years as a grower and more than eight years dedicated to technical and strategic consultancy for the development and management of new varieties.

He has held key roles at leading organisations and global varietal innovation programmes. Since 2017, he has also been a member of the Technical Committee of the IFORED Programme, where he has been personally involved in evaluating varietal selections, international-scale testing and commercial development, culminating in the introduction of the first red-fleshed apple to the British market.

“I am delighted to take the helm of Kissabel® and to guide the brand through its next phase of development,” said Jeremy Linsell. “I firmly believe in the unique value of this apple, capable of surprising consumers and bringing genuine innovation to the fresh produce aisle. The project is built on the strength and expertise of leading international partners. By working together, I am confident we will fully unlock the extraordinary potential and disruptive spirit of Kissabel®.”

In the United States, North American partner Next Big Thing (NBT) plans to launch the season between mid- and late September, reaching peak sales in October and wrapping up the campaign in November. The Rouge and Jaune varieties will be available.

“This year, we will be working closely with our retail partners on new communication materials designed to link Kissabel® to the seasonal themes of autumn and Halloween,” says Brianna Shales, Marketing Director at Stemilt Growers and Next Big Thing (NBT) spokesperson for the Kissabel® project. “Through engaging campaign taglines such as ‘Dare to Try’ and ‘Autumn Outside, Unexpected Inside’, we will invite shoppers to discover the surprise inside the fruit. In addition, the wide range of pack formats will help retailers create high-impact displays and encourage consumers to try the product.”

United Kingdom: building momentum and looking to the future

In the UK, partner Worldwide Fruit will launch the season in late September, with a sales window running through to December. All three varieties in the range – Rouge, Jaune and Orange – will be available on the market, backed by promotional activities in support of the brand, both in-store and across digital channels.

“The response to last season’s campaign was extremely positive, and for this new season we want to build on and relaunch that success,” says Hannah McIlfatrick, Commercial Director at Worldwide Fruit. “We remain firmly committed to the Kissabel® project and continue to invest in its development, which we believe can bring value to the whole category. Our aim is to gradually extend the commercial window, supporting this growth with a planting programme for the Rouge and Jaune varieties running through to 2030.”

France: domestic market and strategic exports

In France, the campaign started in early September and will continue until November. Partners Mylord-Gerfruit, Mesfruits and Blue Whale will be marketing the range, with a primary focus on the Jaune variety, supported by select volumes of the Rouge variety.

“Kissabel® has very interesting potential because it combines strong visual distinctiveness with an equally distinctive taste experience,” comments Marion Dufossé, International Brands Development Manager at Blue Whale. “We are therefore continuing to develop the brand’s presence, not only in the French market but also in Asia and the Middle East, through targeted activities with our partners and customers.”

Kissabel® is the brand that identifies the different varieties of coloured-flesh apple – from pink to intense red – developed with the aid of exclusively natural breeding techniques by the IFORED programme, an international partnership involving 14 of the world’s largest production and marketing companies.