A unique looking fruit, being marketed under the trademark ‘Papple™’, took a journey from New Zealand orchards to thousands of miles away in England earlier this year. The variety is now being evaluated in test blocks near Yakima, Washington.
The pear which resembles an apple is a hybrid of Chinese and Japanese pears. The varietal name is PremP109. This year marks the second season when the fruit was exported from New Zealand to England where it received considerable attention. It was also sent to Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada and the U.S with great results.
The Associated International Group of Nurseries (AIGN®) is the exclusive global licensor of the Papple™ Brand. The pear is known for its highly attractive features including a bright red/orange blush covering a lemon background. It has a mild sweet, low acid flavor, with a crisp and juicy texture.
According to Lynnell Brandt, president of AIGN®, Papple™ is being evaluated in Washington State on five year old trees in a test block owned and operated by Brandt’s Fruit Trees. Samples from those trees are being distributed to a select group of potential growers throughout Washington, Oregon, California, Missouri, and Canada by Kevin Brandt, Vice President of Proprietary Variety Management (PVM) located in Yakima, Washington.
PVM, created in 2012, is assisting in the commercialization process or bringing new products like Papple™ to fruition. It does so through collaboration with some of the most prominent breeding programs and largest marketing companies in the world.
Initial reports say growers are already finding Papple™ trees to be very productive with yields of large spherical fruit. It is also leaf scab resistant. It has excellent storage performance for at least three to four months and much longer if harvested and stored correctly.
It is exciting to note that the Papple™ Brand has already set itself apart in that key market far away in England. As reported in the Yorkshire Post: “Marks & Spencer (M&S) says the fruit – dubbed – a ‘Papple’ – looks and tastes like an apple but has the skin and texture of a pear, and is a member of the pear family.”
One M&S fruit expert said: “This is one of the most exciting new varieties of fruit we have seen for several years. We know customers like to try new and interesting fruit and we hope this will be something they will enjoy.”
Lynnell announced this spring that AIGN® has signed an agreement on the use of the Papple™ trademark with Worldwide Fruit. Worldwide Fruit is an international fruit marketing and distribution company specializing chiefly in the supply of apples and pears to major UK retailers.
Worldwide Fruit said it will have planted 15,000 Papple™ trees in the UK by the end of the winter of 2015.
(contact Alan Taylor at proft@embarqmail.com or 509-961-9186)
Source: Associated International Group of Nurseries