Chelan, WA – Going into its second distribution season for the diminutive Rockit apple from New Zealand, Chelan Fresh is looking at increased movement this year, according to Director of Marketing Mac Riggan.
Riggan said first loads of Rockits will arrive mid-May, and he anticipates they will be in stores in late May and available through late August.
“Reception has been extremely positive,” he said of the snack-sized apple. “People just love them. They're small apples, 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, and they fit just perfectly in a child's hand. They have a rosy red, thin skin and white, crisp flesh, and they're sweet and crunchy. Another unique characteristic is the apple's delicate core. Really, aside from the stem and a few seeds, the apple is completely edible.”
Rockits are packed in 3-, 4- and 5-count tubes, he said.
Non-GMO, the Rockit originated by crossing a cultivar from the rose series of apples with a crabapple. Riggan said initially most growers did not expect a market for the small fruit, “But one grower saw the potential, and now it's taking off. I've been in meetings where a bowl of Rockits is on the table, and people eat two or three. They're small, and they're very good.”
Riggan said that Chelan Fresh growers have Rockit trees in the ground in Washington, and the trees are expected to begin bearing fruit in 2017 or 2018. In addition, Chelan Fresh has partnered with Borton Fruit in Yakima, where Rockit Apples will also be grown.
Source: Chelan Fresh