Wax apple trees can produce two harvests per year, in spring and autumn. This year the production season in Hainan saw excessive rainfall and typhoons. That is why the production volume is expected to decline between now and New Year's. The current supply volume is quite limited, but after New Year, the production volume should recover. The peak harvest period in Hainan will take place between March and July, 2021.
My Kio wax apples
The wax apple primarily grows in the tropics. The weather conditions play a major role in the selection of suitable production areas. Wax apples prefer warm weather and do not do well in cold weather. The ideal growing temperature is between 25°C-30°C. And wax apples will suffer 'frost bite' if the temperature regularly falls below 8°C. Other than temperature, wax apples have few requirements from the soil, for example, although wax apple trees do well in alkaline soils that easily drain (such as paddy fields).
My Kio wax apples
"We currently have our own wax apple orchard that covers an area of 15 hectares, but we also cooperate with local farmers who cultivate an area of more than 133 hectares. Wax apples are far more fragile than most other fruits and the plantations require a high level of technology. We have a dedicated tech team working hard to guarantee the most outstanding flavor, product quality, and production volume. In general, every plantation requires the careful supervision of a specialist for 6 years before the wax apples reach the required standards. That is a huge initial investment. And the technological threshold is very high." This is according to Mr. Wu Bin of My Kio (Hainan) Agriculture Co., Ltd. (Shanghai My Kio Agriculture Co., Ltd.).
Packaged My Kio wax apples
Packaged My Kio wax apples
The My Kio plantation is located in Qionghai City on Hainan Island. Wax apples were introduced to the island from Taiwan in 1995. My Kio opened the first standardized wax apple plantation and two generations have worked to improve wax apple plantation on this piece of land for more than 20 years. The strong My Kio wax apple brand is built on this plantation. In the meantime, the overall surface area devoted to wax apple plantation in Hainan exceeded 1,667 hectares. The wax apple is also commercially produced in Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
My Kio wax apple plantation in Hainan
The wax apple was originally a Southeast Asian product. The Dutch introduced this fruit to Taiwan in the 17th century. Taiwan in turn introduced the wax apple to mainland China quite early on, but still, the wax apples produced in Hainan show a clear market advantage. Wax apples from Taiwan and Hainan, produced in the same season and at the same time, under similar conditions and with the same level of technology, still show a slight difference in flavor, but that difference is very small.
The main difference is in distribution. Hainan has easy access to distribution networks in mainland China, which allows wax apples from Hainan to reach consumers while fresh and full of flavor. Wax apples from Taiwan, however, first need to be shipped and processed before they enter the Chinese market, which puts them at a slight disadvantage in comparison with wax apples from Hainan.
In addition to Taiwanese and Hainanese wax apples, Chinese traders also import wax apples from Vietnam, but the infrastructure in production areas is relatively underdeveloped. By the time the wax apples from production areas in Vietnam reach the Chinese market, their product quality and level of freshness is less than ideal. Their shelf-life is relatively short and the ratio of spoiled fruit is rather high.
My Kio wax apples
The wax apple is considered the 'glass bead' among fruits. The fruit is extremely fragile. According to Mr. Wu Bin, "when the harvest season arrives for My Kio wax apples, our farmers go out and harvest each wax apple by hand. They carefully take the wax apples from their branches. After the harvest, the wax apples enter a processing line that includes standardized selection, packaging, transport, and storage. The temperature is strictly controlled every step of the way.
All of these measures are intended to guarantee the highest degree of freshness and the best possible product quality for consumers who buy My Kio wax apples. We also offer 'air freight + refrigerated transport + air-conditioned boxes', and we sell our wax apples via e-commerce platforms that offer express delivery to make sure that even more Chinese consumers can enjoy the delicious flavor of fresh My Kio wax apples. We currently cooperate with SF Express and JD. Not only do we make sure our packaging preserves the freshness of our wax apples, we also promise delivery within 48 hours for customers in first-tier cities and provincial capitals across the country. Our wax apples will take less than 48 hours from the orchard to the kitchen table."
The new office of My Kio (Hainan) Agriculture Co., Ltd.
When asked about retail channels, Mr. Wu replied, "we mainly sell our wax apples on e-commerce platforms and in chain stores. At the moment, we work together with Hema Fresh, Ding Dong Fresh, Meituan, Pagoda, and OLE. The e-commerce infrastructure in China is a fast-developing industry and we are eagerly investing and participating. We believe that there is a lot of growth potential for My Kio in this industry. At the same time, wholesale markets remain an essential aspect of the fruit industry. We continue to maintain a steady position in traditional retail channels, and simultaneously look for opportunities to cooperate with innovative retailers."
My Kio wax apple plantation
In the end, according to Mr. Wu: "The Chinese Spring Festival [12 February, 2021] will arrive rather late next year, which will extend the period during which Chinese consumers buy fruit as presents for family, friends, and acquaintances." Wax apples are considered 'one of the world's ten strangest fruits'. Wax apples only contain 39 kilocalories per 100 grams. That is half the volume of kilocalories that regular apples contain. That is also why women consider this wax apple the 'king of fruits'. At the same time, the wax apple is a high-end fruit with a bright color that consumers adore. Furthermore, the wax apple is healthy and contains large volumes of trace minerals, which makes it an excellent gift for the holiday period.
For more information:
Mr. Wu Bin - Manager
My Kio (Hainan) Agriculture Co., Ltd.
Shanghai My Kio Agriculture Co., Ltd.
Website: http://www.mykio.net
Tel.: +86 400-775-9176
Tel.: +86 158 2192 1811
E-mail: holiday.farmer@foxmail.com