Nov 16, 2017

Farmington Fresh a U.S. provider of sliced Opal brand apples

Farmington Fresh, a provider of fresh sliced apples, oranges, pears, and other fruits and vegetables to the food service industry and retailers, has reached an agreement with FirstFruits Marketing of Washington to be the exclusive U.S. provider of sliced Opal brand apples. Discovered in Europe in 1999 and grown exclusively in the U.S. by Broetje Orchards in Washington State, this apple is a cross between the Golden Delicious and Topaz varieties.

“Farmington Fresh was inspired by the innovation that my grandfather, Nick Rajkovich, brought to the fruit market in his day, and this one-of-a-kind varietyis a perfect match to the legacy of excellence that he was known for,” said Garrison Rajkovich, marketing manager at Farmington Fresh. “The Opal brand apple is truly unique, with the mouth-pleasing crunch of a Honeycrisp and an exceptionally sweet flavor profile. We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Broetje Orchards team to provide a product that fits perfectly with our focus on high quality and customer satisfaction.”

After over a decade of cultivation and refinement at more than 60 orchards throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, Opal brand apples started being grown in the U.S. in 2010. Known for its distinctive yellow-gold color, this variety has been described by some as a “dessert apple” for its floral aroma and sweet yet tangy flavor.

“Our students are amazed by the flavor every time they try an Opal apple,” said Margan Holloway, SNS, school nutrition director at Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District in Fairfield, California. “They are my favorite apple to serve and eat personally. I could not be more thrilled to be serving such a delicious and convenient fruit to all 21,000 of our students.”

Farmington Fresh offers year-round availability of sliced Opal brand apples for both retail and foodservice. In addition to being the largest supplier of sliced apples for school lunches across California, the company provides this variety along with sliced green and red apples to northern California retailers including Safeway Inc. and Nugget Markets, with plans to expand its distribution area. For more information or to place an order, please call 209-926-3518 or visit farmfresh.com.