It is the fourth year that Cofruid’Oc Méditerranée sells its new variety of scab-resistant French apples under the Legend® brand.
The harvest started last week and is already looking promising. “This apple is harvested in early October. The south of France has been impacted by the weather events this year, but the Legend® was not affected. Therefore, we will be able to offer our full potential,” explains Philippe Jean, sales manager of the cooperative.
Didier Crabos and Philippe Jean at Fruit Attraction 2021
“Our objective is to reach 1,500 tons within 3 years”
This year, Cofruid’Oc will double its volumes of Legend apples. “We are going from 400 to 800 tons of Legend apples harvested. We also have more hectares this year, 25 hectares compared to 20 last year. This growth bodes well to reach the objective of 1,500 tons within the next 3 years, in keeping with the development of our eco-responsible orchards and the growing involvement of our producers in agroecology. Then, there is also our organic production which is gaining about 100 tons in 2021.”
“The quality is very promising. The apples are very tasty, with a nice coloration. We have big hopes for this young apple this year.”
“We received very positive feedback on this apple at Fruit Attraction”
Cofruid’Oc has marketing objectives in French retail with a presence in at least 3 to 4 major supermarket chains this year. “We also target specialized grocery stores via wholesale markets. Like any new variety, the challenge will be to find its place on the shelves, which are not expandable. But we are confident because it has a lot to bring. It is an apple that stands out visually. It has a real promise of taste and very interesting storage capacities. We also received very positive feedback on this apple last week at Fruit Attraction.”
“We will reinforce and increase our present in southeast Asia this year”
The cooperative also has ambitions for this young apple in Europe and in large exports. “The apple is very robust, so it is ideal for the export market. With Cofruid’Oc Méditerranée, we are going to position ourselves in England and Germany, among others. We are already present in southeast Asia, and this year, we will reinforce and increase this presence by building up a full season thanks to larger volumes, in line with the demand of this particular market.”
It is now possible to find the Legend apples in 100% cardboard trays.
For more information:
Philippe Jean
Cofruid’Oc Méditerranée
286 Avenue de Saint-Nazaire
34400 Saint-Just, France
Phone: +33 (0)4 67 91 90 15
Fax: +33 (0)4 67 68 41 71
philippe.jean@cofruidoc.fr
www.cofruidoc.com