SweeTango® is a registered trademark for the Minneiska early variety apple developed by breeder David Bedford of the University of Minnesota in the United States. This premium variety was first introduced in Switzerland in 2013. The planting project in Europe continues to date. 2018 saw the birth of the SweeTango Europe Group (STEG), based in Lagenthal, Switzerland, under the auspices of the variety breeder.
The foundation of this group marked an important milestone for the joint cultivation and commercialization of SweeTango apples in Europe. The producers, who cultivate and commercialize this variety are the German DOSK Consortium (with WOG, Mabo, MAL and Elbe Obst), the Swiss Geiser agro.com, the Austrian F. KRÖPFL, the Spanish Nufri, and the Italian Melinda, VIP and VOG Consortia.
In May 2023, VIP protected variety product manager Fabio Zanesco was appointed president of STEG, with an initial term of one year. "I will bring experience and enthusiasm, and I will work to make the project grow. The primary objective remains to ensure its success and to develop an increasingly coordinated approach to the market, positioning the SweeTango apple on the market in the very first part of the season. There are two key people operating to make everything happen in the best possible way: Jürg Burri from Switzerland, who has been STEG's coordinator since the foundation, and Daniel Turri of Melinda, who has been supporting him since 2023 to strengthen the team."
Fabio Zanesco, newly appointed President SweeTango Europe (STEG)
The STEG group is responsible for coordinating the production of the club apple and is in charge of its commercial development. It runs the entire project in Europe based on the guidelines of the owner of the variety, i.e., the University of Minnesota. "This translates into deciding, for example, packaging guidelines, general market placement and any issues related to the variety, such as expertise and best cultivation practices. Quality parameters, the centralized marketing campaign management and the overall image of the project are also all managed by STEG. Sales, on the other hand, are handled by the individual members."
SweeTango is the first apple to ripen
It is an extraordinary apple, with an incomparable taste, crisp and juicy. A fresh, summery variety with an ideal sales window from mid-August to November; it is the first apple to ripen compared to other varieties. Also available as an organic product. The ideal environment in Italy is in the higher alpine areas, so the season generally starts in the last week of August and the peak of sales is in September and October.
"We currently have a total of more than 400 hectares in Europe, about half of which are cultivated by Italian producers. In Italy, Melinda has the largest share, followed by VIP and VOG. In Europe, the DOSK Consortium has a similar share to Melinda. Full maturity will be reached for all plants within a few years. Now we have to build the market with customers and consumers. Therefore, for a few seasons, it will be a matter of expanding shelf space in the already loyal channels and looking carefully at new destinations, where so far only tests have been carried out. The planting phase is stable for the moment, but larger volumes are on the way - thanks to the ripening of the plants - which will allow for more continuous work," explains Zanesco. "This year's harvest in Italy is expected to be around 5,000 tons, and it is increasing. At a European scale, we estimate 8,500 tons by 2023."
"Last year we saw positive sales results, particularly in the large-scale retail trade. As of last season, moreover, Melinda, VIP and VOG have started a joint communication campaign in Italy (TV commercials and trade marketing activities), which will resume in September, and I am certain that it will fully support the sales of this apple also for the 2023 harvest," concluded Zanesco. "We are already noticing a strong interest and the member companies' salespeople are planning their insertions and activities in these very weeks."
For more information: sweetango-apple.com