The Swing Bio campaign began in mid-November. While Mylord sold 400 tons of Swing Bio last year, the company plans to reach 1,300 tons this season, and 5,000 tons in 2024. Today, the variety is cultivated by 35 producers, spread over 4 production basins: Loire Valley, Tarn-et-Garonne, Alps and Languedoc. Mylord has high hopes for the Swing Bio, which is much more than a simple variety. It is part of a global project based on innovation and centered on agroecology.
“We are reaching 120 ha of orchards this winter”
Following the apple’s success among customers last year, especially in terms of taste, Mylord decided to speed up planting in the orchards in order to reach 120 ha before even being fully launched on the market. “We’ve had excellent returns from supermarkets and specialists in organic products which especially appreciate the agro-ecological approach surrounding the Swing project. That is what pushed us to develop the orchards even faster,” explains Baptiste Geoffray, head of innovation at Mylord.
“The Swing is an apple that ticks all the boxes”
It was following an expedition to the primary forests of Tian Shan in Central Asia that one of the ancestors of the Swing was brought back to France. “This genetic heritage has helped it be highly resistant from an agronomic (scab, aphids...) and conservation point of view. In addition to being visually attractive thanks to its nice red color, the Swing is characterized by a very fragrant, crunchy and juicy flesh and a good sugar/acidity balance. It is also a variety which matures throughout the season and remains very tasty at the end of the season.”
“We decided to produce the Swing exclusively in organic farming in France”
Given these very interesting characteristics, Mylord, which holds the exclusivity of the production and marketing of the Swing variety in France, decided to produce it only in organic farming. “The Swing stands out for the coherence of its cultural itinerary which allows us to intervene less in the orchard, as well as for its taste qualities and conservation potential. Therefore, it became apparent to us that this variety should be produced exclusively in organic farming.”
“With the Swing, we go beyond organic farming with even more demanding specifications”
Mylord wanted to go beyond the requirements of the organic approach by creating the Swing project in its entirety - from production to marketing - and by focusing on agroecology. “The intrinsic qualities of the Swing allow us to go further than a classic organic variety at that level. We therefore embarked on a novel approach aimed at drawing up specifications with very strong commitments in terms of respecting the environment, maintaining biodiversity and protecting pollinators. With this project, we wish to make all our producers generally aware about the respect of the environment in the orchard. Many are willing to commit themselves even more.”
For more information:
Baptiste Geoffrey
Mylord
Phone: +33 6 42 76 89 20
bgeoffray@mylord.fr
www.swing.bio.com