The Coryphee apple, developed by Belgian breeder Zouk, has been nominated for the Product Made in Limburg award. Each year, Made In seeks out the best products created in the Limburg region of Flanders. This year, a fresh produce product is among the 20 nominees. "It's very special. The organization recognized its sustainability, which we're, of course, very honored by," says Laura Nicolai of Zouk.
Zouk, a sister company of Johan Nicolai Nursery, is a breeding company founded by Johan, focusing specifically on apple and pear breeding. Today, the new generation—Laura, Vincent, and Michiel—have joined the family business, constantly innovating in the top fruit sector, recently resulting in the development of the Coryphee. "Each year, we analyze a few thousand crossbreeds over two to three years. In 2012, one cross stood out, leading us to the next phase. This was Coryphee. In this phase, we examined factors like productivity, size, and color, and it performed exceptionally well. One of its parent varieties has a strong resistance to scab and mildew, and we found in our research that this resistance was inherited."
"We're very pleased with the final result," Laura continues. "It's a high-yield apple with a good pack-out in sorting, well-suited to our climate, producing a rich harvest annually and offering a reliable income for producers. It's also ideal for the short supply chain. We believe in refocusing on local production, which lowers the ecological footprint. Additionally, its strong resistance to common fruit-growing diseases means much less spraying is needed, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable apple that's also perfectly suited to organic cultivation. And, of course, very importantly, it's very flavorful with a good texture, which is always our top priority."
Today, around 45 hectares of Coryphee apples have been planted in Belgium by three major growers: the Bangels brothers from Gingelom, Neven Fruits from Waremme, and Wolcarius from Markegem. "Even though the apple sector has faced tough times, we're seeing renewed interest in new and intriguing varieties, a positive trend. Coryphee is now fully grown on these farms, and with several years of experience, we've also confirmed that it can be perfectly stored until June 1." The apples are available exclusively at Colruyt.
Now, Coryphee is nominated for the Product Made in Limburg awards. "As the only fresh produce product, which is wonderful. There are currently 20 nominees, and a public voting round runs until November 3. From this, the top five most popular products will be chosen and evaluated by a jury. The winner of the Product Made in Limburg award will be announced on November 19. We're looking forward to it."
You can vote here.
For more information:
Laura Nicolai
Zouk
Lichtenberglaan 2050
3800 Sint-Truiden, Belgium
Tel: +32 11 70 20 00
[email protected]
www.nicolai.be