Australia, Chile and South Africa are the countries that are paving the way for the growth of Kissabel® apples from the Southern Hemisphere. Harvesting of the apples with colored flesh – ranging from pink to deep red – started between February and April in the southern region, marking a breakthrough in varietal research and marketing.
Partners in the IFORED program, dedicated to the development of Kissabel apples, include in the Southern Hemisphere Montague (Australia), Unifrutti (Chile), Moño Azul (Argentina), DuToit (South Africa) and Yummy Fruit (New Zealand).
"Kissabel is a global program, and we are delighted to count on the expertise of top partners in the Southern Hemisphere," commented Emmanuel de Lapparent, manager of the IFORED program. "Our red-flesh range is an exciting new development for the apple industry, and with each harvest we are making progress towards ever greater availability of top-quality fruit with an amazing appearance and delicious taste."
Australia is the first country in the region to have a sales season underway, which this year started in March and will continue until early June. With the goal of building brand awareness and strong demand, partner Montague set up a multichannel marketing plan, including PR, in-store sampling, collaborations with influencers and partnerships with restaurants and bakeries, as well as tastings at The Orchard at Montague, the company's retail outlet.
Kissabel also took part in the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, receiving enthusiastic feedback from the thousands of attendees who sampled the apple. All these initiatives will lay the foundation for the expected increase in volumes in the coming years.
Unifrutti in Chile also recorded growth for Kissabel. This year, pilot orchards gave quantities for test shipments to Central and South America between mid-March and April. The goal is to widen the commercial window, including by evaluating different red-flesh varieties suited to the specific characteristics of the cultivation areas.
In South Africa, the DuToit Group is continuing to evaluate varieties, testing several varieties in its apple orchards that are already on the market in other countries. The hope is to have the first quantities for a semi-commercial season by 2025. The testing phase is also currently underway in Argentina and New Zealand.
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