Elgin, Minnesota – When it comes to apples, the Honeycrisp variety is one of the best in the bushel. A mouth-watering blend of sweet and tart flavor with a crunchy, crisp flesh, Honeycrisp is a favorite of apple-lovers and cooks alike. And now, thanks to the efforts of Minnesota's Wescott Agri Products through its Honeybear Brands division, this May grocers in select markets can make this customer favorite available by stocking Wescott's new Chilean Honeycrisp variety.
After obtaining the exclusive production and commercialization rights for Honeycrisp in Chile, Wescott spent a decade developing Southern Hemisphere orchards with its Chilean growing partner, and is bringing the first imported apples to North American markets in the next three weeks.
We're proud to be the first grower in the industry to recognize the potential for the Southern Hemisphere's Honeycrisp, said Fred Wescott, president of Wescott Agri Products. By working with our Chilean partners, we can ensure our production of the highest quality Honeycrisp apples meets consumers expectations for a great tasting apple.
While the first year's commercial production volumes will be limited, Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing for Wescott, expects production to increase exponentially as these new orchards mature.
In addition to our Chilean program, Wescott dedicates significant acreage to growing Honeycrisp in the Midwest and Washington, said Roper. The company was one of the first growers of Honeycrisp in Washington and today, Honeybear is recognized as the premier Honeycrisp label in the Northwest.
A Quick Bite of the Honeycrisp Story. Honeycrisp, a relatively new variety in the apple category, was originally developed through the University of Minnesota breeding program in 1960 from a Macoun and Honeygold cross. It was selected for development in 1974 and evaluated in several Minnesota sites before being officially introduced in 1991.
A challenging variety to grow, Honeycrisp requires the right microclimate to maximize production yield, quality and flavor. Working in conjunction with its Chilean growing partners, Wescott evaluated and piloted multiple growing regions for the Southern Hemisphere variety before selecting the region in Chile that was the most conducive to consistently growing exceptional fruit. The result is a Honeycrisp grown, packed and marketed under Honeybear Brands strict quality standards; ensuring consumers enjoy a safe, healthy and flavorful apple.
Varietal Development: The Core of Honeybear Brands' Growth Strategy. The development of the Chilean Honeycrisp is part of Honeybear Brands' goal of growing, packaging and marketing world-class varieties from the finest agricultural regions across the globe, enabling it to offer its retail partners a year-round, differentiated apple program in their marketplace.
Honeybear Brands development program typically requires a commitment of seven to ten years before new varieties come into full commercial production. Currently, we have multiple varieties in domestic development. Our experience with the Honeycrisp project and our Chilean growing partners has been outstanding. We see new development in both Northern and Southern hemispheres as a way to give our retailers new apple varieties that they can pass on to their customers on a year-round basis, Wescott concluded.
About Wescott Agri Products and Honeybear Brands
Wescott Agri Products is a privately held company specializing in growing and distributing tree fruits. Founded as an apple orchard in the early 70s, the company has diversified and expanded to reach its current status as a year-round supplier of high quality products and services through strategic relationships with quality growers and processors around the globe. Through its Honeybear Brands division, Wescott Agri Products offers complete integration in domestic and global apple supply as a grower, packer, shipper, direct importer, and developer of new varieties.
Source: Wescott Agri Products and Honeybear Brands