Trade shows are a chance to talk about a new product and for Okanagan Specialty Fruits® (OSF), it’s a new variety of apple.
“We just completed our first harvest of our Arctic® Fuji variety. There’s been lots of anticipation from our customers to add a red-skinned apple to our product portfolio and we are extremely excited to bring the Arctic® Fuji to market this fall,” says Neal Carter, president of Summerland, BC-based OSF.
This adds to OSF’s line of apples, ones that use the apple’s own genes to “turn off” the enzyme responsible for making apples turn brown when cut or bruised. The result is a 28 day shelf life pre-sliced apple, which means less food waste while retaining their fresh appearance and flavor through shelf life. And for OSF, this means it now has three apple varieties available including the Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny.
Neal Carter, president of Summerland, BC-based Okanagan Specialty Fruits®.
“This past harvest was our largest ever with approximately 20,000 bins of Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny harvested, the equivalent of 17 million pounds,” says Carter. “Our young trees are becoming more productive, so we’ve been able to increase our harvest year after year. We currently have 1,350 acres of trees planted.”
Washington-grown fruit
OSF, the exclusive grower of Arctic® apples, has all of its orchards planted in Washington state and as a vertically integrated company, manages all aspects of the apples.
Meanwhile demand is steady for these apples. “Because Arctic® apples stay orchard-fresh longer, new utilizations and menu ideas can be developed where apples wouldn’t normally be used before - which will hopefully inspire more apple consumption. Our goal has always been more apples in more places,” says Carter.
With this in mind, Carter is excited that in-person trade shows are starting back up. “We’ve certainly learned throughout the pandemic how much we missed and how valuable those in person conversations can be. We are looking forward to running into some old faces and meeting many new ones,” he says.
Carter says OSF's past harvest was its largest ever with approximately 20,000 bins of Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny harvested, the equivalent of 17 million pounds.
This week, at OSF’s CPMA booth, #1016, visitors will be able to see its full line of 2 oz., 5 oz. and 10 oz. packaged Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny apples. (OSF also has 20 oz. and 40 oz. foodservice packs available in sliced and diced options.)
The show will also give a chance to focus on Canadian business. “Our volume and production levels are now at a place where we can begin actively exploring opportunities within Canada,” says Carter. “This is something our company has looked forward to for a long time and we hope CPMA will present opportunities for new partnerships.”
For more information:
Denise Briggs
Okanagan Specialty Fruits
Tel: +1 (509) 350-2862
media@okspecialtyfruits.com
https://www.okspecialtyfruits.com/