Mar 9, 2023

Magic Star apple nears commercial debut in the U.S.

Fresh Forward, a plant breeder and marketing company in Huissen, The Netherlands, has been chosen as the exclusive U.S. propagation and commercialization manager for WUR200 cv. — the apple branded as Magic Star.

“We have been monitoring Magic Star since 2019, and recently harvested the first crop from our test orchard in the Yakima Valley,” Kevin Brandt, chief operating officer of Proprietary Variety Management, said in a news release.

Proprietary Variety Management (PVM), Yakima, Washington, specializes in global intellectual property management, brand development and commercialization of new fruit varieties.

“We were extremely pleased to see how well the cultivar performed in Washington State,” Brandt said in the release. “The fruit exhibited exceptional flavor and outstanding fruit finish. Of particular interest to PVM are the natural immunities WUR200 cv. possesses, as we work to seek out new varieties that are friendly for the grower.”

Magic Star is a cross between Elise, and an unnamed scab-resistant apple cultivar. It produces a dark red blushed apple with the scab-resistant qualities of its parent as well as little susceptibility to mildew. Magic Star is known to hold very well in storage and has a long shelf life, according to the release.

The flavor of the crunchy apple is described as “fresh” and “sweet.” Magic Star has been marketed in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and England for three seasons, receiving high marks for taste and consumer appeal.  With these qualities and characteristics, PVM and Fresh Forward are confident that Magic Star will do well in the U.S.

“We are excited to start up the partnership with PVM to bring Magic Star to the USA — the Magic is coming!” Stephan Geerlings, marketing manager of apples at Fresh Forward, said in the release.