“Not enough supply to meet demand for Lola”

Lola is the brand name of the new apple variety Maribelle, a cross between Gloster and Meiprinses with Elstar. The first trees were planted in 2008. Three years later, the first apples were sold, and since 2011, Maribelle is being sold under the Lola brand. “The apple is different from other apples,” says Jan van Ingen of Jabema. “Lola is the result of the search for an apple that’s suitable for a wider target audience. A firm, sweet yet fresh apple, that is less sensitive to diseases cultivation-wise and has a good storability. It was also a requirement that the apple can be grown in our climate and that the apple can compete with supply from the Southern Hemisphere. The result is a proper Dutch variety. The apple was cross-bred here, and is also commercialised from the Netherlands.”

Jan is the licencee of the variety, and he supports and gives advice regarding the promotion and sales of Lola, which, for that matter, isn’t a club variety. Lola can be considered a free variety, but growers can choose to join Jabema, a cooperation between an arboriculturist, the agriculturalist and the fruit grower of the variety. “Compared to other varieties, Lola is still a fairly small variety. In 2011 we started with a yield of 1,000 kilos and production has continued to expand,” Jan says. Lola is grown in the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia, the UK, and on a smaller scale in France and Germany. Lola apples are also grown in South Africa and Canada, and these are meant for sales on the local market.

The area in the Netherlands currently consists of 114 hectares conventional and 33 hectares organic. Jan mentions that the apple can be easily grown organically, because it’s not very susceptible to diseases such as scabs, mildew and fruit tree cancer. He expects the organic cultivation will increase both domestically and abroad in coming years. In Belgium they have 21 hectares of Lola apples, Scandinavia has 17 hectares, the UK has 11 hectares and Germany and France have 2 hectares. “The goal is to have 300 hectares in the Netherlands. We see Lola as a good alternative to Jonagold. The picking period is roughly the same as for this apple, which is falling in popularity. Lola is an easy to grow apple, has a high production, and as mentioned before, it’s little susceptible to diseases.”

Regarding sales, Lola is mostly focused on retail in Northern Europe, with the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany as its most important sales markets. Lola is also sent to Asia, where the apple is quite popular. “First of all, it’s its deep pink colour that makes the apple stand out on shelves. The sweet and fresh flavour also appeals to a larger audience. Lola is a firm apple, which doesn’t experience much loss. The apple doesn’t become greasy or mealy, so that Lola can be sold to the very last apple, and can remain in fruit bowls longer as well.” For the sales of Dutch and Belgian production, an exclusive agreement has been reached with trade parties. For now, demand for Lola is bigger than supply. Unfortunately, the new season won’t change this. Despite the growth in area, production is more or less the same as last year. “The Dutch harvest is about 20 per cent lower, and Belgium has practically no production at all,” Jan says. “Quality, for that matter, is excellent. In coming years, we hope to establish good lines for more continuity.”

Jan van Ingen