The second Soluna™ apple season is underway in Asia and the Middle East and is going well. All fruit is currently supplied from Australia by exporter WA Farm Direct and export volumes are projected to increase by 15%.
As fruit becomes available from semi-commercial blocks in Europe, global brand manager, TopStar, is excited to trial exports from this region into selected Asian markets, to complement and extend the existing season. They hope to see the first batch of European fruit exported to Asia this year.
This season's fruit is of good eating quality, and market feedback has been positive. It is anticipated that exports of Soluna will continue to outpace overall production growth in Australia, which stands at 5.2%. Hong Kong importer, Top Weal comments: "The Hong Kong market has responded positively to the Soluna apple brand, showcasing strong demand and growing consumer interest. Feedback indicates that customers appreciate the brand's quality and offerings, leading to increased sales and a solid market presence. Overall, the momentum suggests a promising future as we continue to engage with our audience."
A fully branded tram and MTR (Railway) advertisements could be seen in Hong Kong during September and throughout the mid-Autumn festival. Furthermore, Soluna was present at Asia Fruit Logistica. A mid-August Food Expo was a success, showcasing Soluna and highlighting its qualities to Hong Kong customers.
Soluna apples are available across Thailand at premium retailers and have established themselves in the Thai market over the past few years. Season launches were held in all retailers and in-store tastings are ongoing. In Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia samplings are also underway throughout retail stores, along with digital marketing activities.
This July, the Soluna European Technical Group gathered for another meeting, with no less than 26 participants from seven countries. Julien Delavaud, Technical Coordinator for TopStar, explains what the work of the Technical group entails:
1. Water stress trials
Soluna is testing reduced water supply in certain orchards to evaluate the effects of water stress on trees and the effect on the quality of fruit. They are using dendrometers to monitor the responses of these trees. The idea is to understand how ANABP 01 trees behave under reduced water intake conditions and to determine the optimal water intake for the variety. As water security is expected to be a key challenge over the next few years, these trials will help to understand how various irrigation management techniques could impact the quality of the crop.
2. Climate protection treatments
Fruit quality improvement is at the heart of this year's trials, and climatic factors such as heat and solar radiation are among the most important factors that could impact crop quality. Various protection methods are currently being tested, including:
- Anti-transpirants: to protect trees from excessive water loss.
- Misting systems: for critical heat periods such as July & August in Europe.
- UV protection nets: different modalities (colour and shading intensity) tested in several orchards.
- Solar protection sprays: using talc and kaolin.
3. Storage and sensory analysis
Various storage trials performed this year showed good results for the conservation of ANABP 01 fruit under Controlled Atmosphere conditions. The fruit was stored for up to six months and still retained firmness as well as sugar and acidity profiles.
4. Ongoing customer and consumer trials
During the 2024/2025 European season, Soluna will conduct professional tasting panels targeting consumers and selected customers.
5. Field days
In October European field days will be held in Italy, Spain and France and again in November in Italy. Various orchards, the regional research station trial sites and nurseries will be visited.
For more information:
Liza Matthews
Soluna Brand Manager
Soluna
www.soluna-apple.com