Red Prince apples – a variety discovered along the Dutch-German border 21 years ago - will be available to more North American customers for the 2016 season, as Canada’s exclusive Red Prince growing operation is expanding its retail base.
Binkley Apples, based out of Thornbury, Ontario, will now be selling its apples throughout Western Canada in addition to existing markets in Ontario and Quebec. The company will also be making inroads south of the border, according to Ken Lyons, Director of Sales & Marketing, with several “medium to large” retailers lined up in the Eastern United States.
Lyons attributes the expansion to strong sales in Ontario and Quebec in 2015. After a successful test of the Western market in spring/summer of this year, Binkley Apples has partnered with Overwaitea Foods in British Columbia for the 2016 season. Some Kroger supermarkets will also be carrying the company’s apples.
Red Prince apples – which are picked in the fall – are not released for sale until January. This year, Binkley Apples will release its product on January 4th, with the retail season expected to last until July or August. Red Prince apples are aged under climate-controlled conditions, which allows the flavors to fully develop into what Lyons describes as, “a tangy-sweet-crisp experience.”
“Right now we’ve picked the crop and it’s being what we call ‘cellared,’” Lyons says, referring to the process by which Binkley Apples cold-ripens its Red Princes.
Lyons notes that Binkley’s Red Prince operation, unlike some other Ontario growers, had, “roughly the same product yield as last year.” Lyons says that his company’s prices – which have remained consistent from year to year – will be stable despite fluctuations in the market. “We’re trying to establish a mid-range consumer price that offers great value,” he notes.
Lyons also expects that the company’s margin “will likely stay the same” on each apple, as a larger workforce and greater facility investment should be offset by increased tonnage.
For more information:
Ken Lyons
Red Prince Apple / Binkley Apples Ltd.
Tel: (+1) 905-330-9113