Heartland Fruit has been supplying Foodstuffs South Island with Class 1 Luv'ya brand apples daily for over two decades. The company recently received the Fresh Partnership Award from Foodstuffs South Island, which covers the entire fresh category. The award recognizes a long-standing working relationship between the two organizations.
Heartland Fruit is a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) partner for Foodstuffs, helping to ensure consistent availability of Luv'ya apples across the supermarket group's network. The supply chain includes collaboration from orchard through to retail shelf, with efforts focused on maintaining consistent quality throughout the year.
Foodstuffs South Island is the largest supermarket operator in New Zealand's South Island, with approximately 140 stores under five retail banners. Luv'ya apples are featured across all of these stores. Seasonal supply begins in early February, and apples remain available for roughly 12 months. This is achieved through Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage, allowing for the gradual release of fruit from June onward to maintain availability throughout the year.
Heartland Fruit, based in Nelson, New Zealand, is a grower-owned producer and marketer of apples. The company cultivates ten different varieties, including Ambrosia, Smitten, and Eve. In 2025, Heartland will also begin supplying EverCrisp apples to Foodstuffs South Island. This variety, known for its high sugar levels (15 brix at harvest) and firm texture, has seen strong demand in export markets in its initial seasons.
This week, Heartland growers began harvesting Ambrosia apples for export, with the first shipments scheduled to leave Port Nelson for Asian markets next week. Deliveries of Ambrosia apples to Foodstuffs South Island began two weeks ago, from orchard blocks specifically grown for domestic supply. The 2025 Ambrosia crop is reported to have favorable characteristics, including strong color development and good fruit size due to slow maturity. With CA storage rooms now being filled, Ambrosia apples are expected to remain available through the end of 2025.
For more information:
Heartland Fruit NZ
Tel: +64 3 544 6570
Email: sales@luvyafruit.com
www.luvya.co.nz