Crunch Time Apple Growers, a New York State-based cooperative of 152 member growers, announced its largest anticipated crop of SnapDragon™ apples: 400,000 bushels, a 25 percent increase year-over-year. The sweet, crisp apples are ready to be packed and shipped, with the first apples hitting produce aisles now and wider distribution expected in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022.
Crunch Time Apple Growers anticipates its largest crop volume of SnapDragon™ apples this season--400,000 bushels.
"While other premium apple varieties grown elsewhere in the U.S. have seen challenges, we're seeing really good size, color and flavor as harvest begins," said Jessica Wells, Crunch Time Apple Growers executive director. "Growers are excited to get SnapDragon apples into the hands of consumers."
This harvest season also marks the first with three new distribution partners: Applewood Fresh Growers LLC, Rice Fruit Company and Riveridge Produce Marketing. These new packers and shippers will allow Crunch Time Apple Growers to expand its geographic reach among existing grocers and new retail partners, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.
"Consumers have tried SnapDragon apples and want the opportunity to purchase them from their favorite retailers consistently. These partnerships open the door to do exactly that," said Wells.
The first apples hit select produce aisles now and wider distribution is expected in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022.
"SnapDragon is a variety that changes what people think of eating apples," said fifth-generation farmer Joel Crist of Crist Bros. Orchards Inc. and Crunch Time Apple Growers board chair. "SnapDragon is about elevating the consumer eating experience and driving consumption of fresh apples."
To demonstrate the success of SnapDragon in the premium apple category since its release in 2014, Crunch Time Apple Growers partnered with Category Partners, a market analyst firm, to study the top 10 retailers that carried SnapDragon apples during the 2020 crop year (October 2020 to June 2021), in addition to reported Nielsen data. Findings showed:
- SnapDragon ranked the sixth most popular premium apple variety nationwide and the top premium apple grown on the East Coast.
- SnapDragon generated year-over-year volume growth in all top 10 retailers and was the only apple that showed growth across all retailers in the study.
- SnapDragon posted double-digit sales growth year-over-year in the East Coast market.
- SnapDragon grew seven percent overall in volume year-over-year across all markets.
- In dollar growth, SnapDragon generated the 10th strongest performance among 26 identified premium apple varieties.
SnapDragon apples were developed and bred by Dr. Susan Brown of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Commercially, all the apples are grown in New York which gives the variety an advantage over West Coast premium apples in terms of more cost-effective transportation to primary selling regions, thus creating greater freshness and quality and lower shelf prices.
For more information:
Jessica Wells
Crunch Time Apple Growers
Tel: 716-300-8522
jessica@crunchtimeapplegrowers.com
www.crunchtimeapplegrowers.com