In the Loire Valley, the apple harvest has begun. “The quantity is not abundant, but overall, the quality and calibers are good,” reports Olivier Maugeais of Pom’Evasion. “The situation is very different from the 2019 harvest, when we had more volumes but smaller calibers. For this year, we are expecting a simpler campaign.”
Pom’Evasion is specialized in French organic apples and pears. In France, the fruits are sold under the brand Henriette Jolly Bio. They are selected for their high conservation capacity. “It is the particularity of this brand. When we did taste checks in March, April and May, our clients were always surprised by the crunchiness and quality of the fruit.”
This year, Pom’Evasion will export its organic range for the first time. “We now have the varieties, volumes and quality that our European consumers are looking for,” explains Olivier. “Before, our organic offer was mostly made of French varieties (Patte de Loup, Goldrush, Ariane), which are very popular in France, but not necessarily in the rest of Europe. We’ve added the Gala and Braeburn to our organic range. The harvest meets all the criteria for export. The apples have high sugar levels and a nice color, despite the conditions in the orchards which have been very complicated this year. Marketing will start around the 31st of August.”
For the second year in a row, the brand Henriette Jolly Bio will market the club pear Xenia. “It is a refined pear concept. Last year, it was a huge success on the French market. This year, we will start exporting it as well.” Olivier adds that the Xenia pear is crunchy, juicy, and very sweet as soon as it is shipped. “It ripens slowly and can still be found in the stores three weeks after shipping, with all its flavors.” The Xenia will be available from November until April.
Besides the Xenia, Pom’Evasion also offers the Angélys, Comice and Conference pears, all organic. “Contrary to the south of France, where producers are more focused on summer pears, we specialize in the winter pears.”
For more information:
Groupe Pom’Evasion
Phone: +33 (0)2 41 95 72 20
[email protected]
www.pomevasion.fr