The Devos Group started marketing its Rubis Gold apples last week. This Belgian company sees great potential in this variety, and now that it is the new year, it has started marketing its crop. "We're still in the early stages, but we ultimately see ourselves competing with big brands such as Pink Lady with this apple. It's still a long way off, but you have to dare voice that ambition; else you're better not starting at all," begins Louis De Cleene.
"These apples have been in stores since the first day of 2024. So far, they've proven to be very productive. With the oldest trees only in their third year of growth, we're already averaging 30 tons per hectare. That certainly gives us hope. Especially considering we're very strict in picking and sorting the Rubis Gold. We want to bring only the highest quality to market."
"First impressions are indelible; that's why we've been doing taste and shelf-life tests on all the plots every two weeks for the past few months to see if they meet all the requirements. In the end, only two of the 15 failed. In all, this season still yielded a wonderful volume of about 400 tons," says Louis.
Yellow versus green and red
The company has these yellow apples' exclusive distribution rights in the Benelux and is still discovering how to handle this new variety best. "It's a learning process for us, too. This type of apple is entering the North European market for the first time, so there was plenty to discover. Plus, it's a substantial investment. Then, you want to work out the initial problems yourself. You don't want growers to plant expensive trees without knowing exactly what to expect."
"Suppose they don't catch on, and there's far too much volume of Rubis Gold on the market which nobody can sell. Of course, you don't want that. That's why we wanted to master both the cultivation and trade. How do you position it in the market, what's the right market, and how do you best sell the apple?" Louis continues.
"In the past two years, we've taken the first very successful steps, and now we're moving forward. We have also started with some of our regular growers who've planted several hectares. These two processes - cultivation and trade - are now running nicely side by side."
Last week, the company started packaging these apples again, and the first Rubis Gold of the season are now on store shelves. "Last year, we saw that once consumers tried it, they kept returning. However, getting North Europeans used to yellow apples remains a big task. In France, they want nothing but yellow, but the Netherlands and Belgium, for example, still cling to the traditional colors." says De Cleene.
"Then the yellow color can be this apple's biggest disadvantage, but we believe, in the long term, it will be its biggest advantage. Stores don't carry yellow apples that are as crisp and with such accessible flavor. Once shoppers become familiar with them, these apples immediately stand out among the red and green varieties on the shelf. Their color, flavor, and firmness are their three big selling points."
Competing with big brands
Even in these first few days, the trader sees these apples already catching on. "Several of our regular customers placed weekend orders but called us last week saying they need more because they sell quickly. It's a sign that our partners believe in it too and are helping make the apple a regular item in shopping baskets," Louis continues.
He has lofty ambitions for the future. "We're still in the early years and don't yet have the budget to set up a marketing campaign like the big brands, such as Pink Lady and Kanzi. But these are the names we eventually want to compete with. We're still miles away, and it certainly won't be easy. We must convince consumers that yellow apples can be delicious and crisp."
For the time being, the available volumes are mainly for the Devos Group's regular partners. "We have some partners who dared to take the leap with us with this relatively expensive apple. There's a lot of interest from other parties," Louis admits, "but for now, I fear we won't yet have enough volume for this season. Our partners and we must make the Rubis Gold known to the general public."
"That seems to be going very well so far. For example, in week 3, we have a big promotion with [the Belgian production company] Studio 100, which is a very fun way to put these apples in the spotlight. We'll see where we can expand in the coming years. Many trees are still in their first two years of growth. We should, thus, be able to meet the increasing demand", concludes Louis.
For more information:
Louis De Cleene
Devos Group
66 Eugeen Cools Street
3460, Bekkevoort, BE
Tel: +32 (0) 167 79 758
[email protected]
www.devosgroup.com