Pink Lady is celebrating its anniversary! Pink Ladys have been in the shops for 20 years now, grown in Switzerland. The Pink Lady success story began in 1973, in Western Australia. The new variety conquered the palate and the hearts of consumers from the very beginning. In the early years of the success story, imports met the high demand. However, the coveted apple variety quickly became native to Switzerland. Today, almost 100% of the Pink Ladys sold in Switzerland is grown domestically.
Martin Ammann and Hansruedi Gallmann of Tobi Seeobst. - Photo: Tobi Seeobst AG
In effect, Pink Ladies from Swiss orchards have now been available for 20 years. The apples only thrive in special areas with fertile soil and good weather conditions. "Pink Lady is very demanding in cultivation," says Martin Ammann, purchasing manager and member of the management team at Tobi Seeobst. "Every activity, from pruning to harvesting, is done by hand by the grower," Ammann says. The growers receive higher compensation for Pink Lady than for other apples. They also benefit from a purchase guarantee. Pink Lady is the first apple variety to blossom in spring and the last to be harvested in late fall. The long ripening period leads to its special taste and the typical pink color. Swiss Pink Ladies come mainly from Valais and the canton of Vaud.
A taste that convinced the consumer
The success story of Pink Lady began in 1973 in Western Australia; at that point in time, the Pink Lady was born as a result of a chance cross between the Lady Williams and Golden Delicious varieties. The new variety conquered the palates and hearts of consumers from the very beginning. The apple has a balanced sugar-acid content and a fine, aromatic flavor.
In Switzerland, it is now exactly 20 years since domestically cultivated Pink Ladies first reached retailers. Today, Pink Lady is available at Coop, Migros and other retailers in Switzerland. "We are grateful for the long-standing loyalty of the major distributors and distribution partners," says Hansruedi Gallmann, sales and marketing manager at Tobi Seeobst. "The interaction of all parties has made the great success of Pink Lady possible," says Gallmann.
Swiss Pink Ladies come from special growing areas mainly in Valais and the canton of Vaud. Photo: Tobi Seeobst AG
Pink Lady from Swiss orchards
Because of the high demand, part of the Pink Ladys originally had to be covered by foreign production. However, the sought-after apple variety quickly became native to Switzerland. Today, almost 100% of the apples on sale in Switzerland come from Swiss harvests. A fact of which many consumers are not aware. Pink Ladies from Swiss cultivation can be recognized by the Swiss cross on the Pink Lady sticker.
Pink Ladies owe their special quality to a rigorous selection process. The harvested fruit must meet numerous requirements. Only genuine Pink Ladies that meet the quality requirements find their way to the wholesalers. However, the remaining apples can be usefully reused for other purposes, in accordance with the principle of sustainability. As a matter of principle, special attention is paid to sustainability during the cultivation of Pink Lady. As with all other apples in Switzerland, Pink Lady is now also subject to the requirements of the "Fruit Sustainability" industry program.
Collection of recipes as a free gift
To mark its 20th anniversary, Pink Lady is giving away a free collection of the best Pink Lady recipes. The collection contains around 90 recipes from well-known and lesser-known persons. Most of the recipes come from the Pink Lady cooking studio. The Pink Lady website has the individual shows available for viewing. The recipe collection can be obtained free of charge in exchange for a prepaid reply envelope (Pink Lady, P.O. Box 12, 6000 Lucerne 15). Alternatively, the collection is available to download on the Internet.
Of course, there is no Pink Lady anniversary without a big competition. Many prizes, with a total value of over 20,000 Swiss francs, await. You can take part now at win.pinklady.ch.
For more information:
Tobi Seeobst AG
Ibergstrasse 28
CH-9220 Bischofszell
Tel. +41 71 424 72 27
Fax: +41 71 424 72 97
E-Mail: info@tobi-fruechte.ch
https://tobi-fruechte.ch/de