Zari apples are one of the earliest varieties available in the UK. The apple is grown exclusively by AC Goatham who has 80 acres on various sites throughout Kent, England. The apple, now its third year of commercial volumes, should have been ready to harvest around the third week of August but has been delayed this year due to poor Spring weather. Harvest is now estimated to start on 1st September. The latest estimate is 1,000 tonnes of class I apples.
According to Sarah Calcutt, Media and PR manager for AC Goatham and Son, it will still be on the market early compared to other British varieties. "There is always a good demand for early British apples, and this year more so, due to a bad Northern Hemisphere season last year and low volumes from the Southern Hemisphere as well."
"The Zari apple is ready to eat straight from the tree so once we start picking there will be no more delays. There has been a great consumer response to the Zari, we did market research via Mumsnet, where 40 families were each sent a box of apples. 100% of them liked it and said they would look for it in the shops and buy it."
Zari was bred by Dutch breeders Better3fruits and is a combination of the Braeburn and Delbardestival apples which are very popular apples in Europe.
AC Goatham are aware of their environmental responsibilities and work to a
stewardship scheme protocol as do most of their growers and the Zari is grown using integrated pest management systems.Zari will be exclusively marketed by Sainsbury and will be available in bags with Sainsbury's branding with the Zari logo.
For more information:
Sarah Calcutt
AC Goatham / PIP
Tel: 0044 870 9619361
Email: [email protected]
www.partnersinproduce.co.uk
