Oct 22, 2014

New York apple gets limited launch via Wegmans

The New York Apple Growers (NYAG) will be launching a new apple called SnapDragon in all Wegmans stores starting in November.

SnapDragon has a distinctly bright-red, dappled color, crispy texture and a sweet, juicy flavor. The new apple has a limited crop this year, but supplies are expected to increase in 2015.

“This bicolor apple is a hybrid of a Honeycrisp that has excellent quality, storage and shelf life,” said Jeff Crist, vice chairman of the NYAG board of directors. “Our consumer research revealed that consumers not only responded very favorably to SnapDragon’s crisp texture and sweet taste, but also noted high willingness to purchase.”

Marketing efforts will include point-of-sale materials, high-graphic packaging, in-store demos, public relations and social media activities. Growers will be available to visit with shoppers during select in-store demo events in November, according to NYAG.

A website was developed to help educate consumers about SnapDragon. The site includes a “Meet the Growers” section that profiles a grower of the month and includes the full list of growers in New York state.

Formed in 2010, NYAG is a grower-owned company with the mission of introducing exclusive, premium-flavor apple varieties to the marketplace. The organization is comprised of 145 grower members in New York, representing about 60 percent of the state’s apple production, according to NYAG.

Developed by Cornell University, SnapDragon, as well as RubyFrost, is licensed for a managed release through NYAG. RubyFrost will go to market in January 2015. Growers pay royalties on trees purchased, acreage planted and fruit produced, and the income is used to market the new apples and support Cornell’s apple-breeding program, according to NYAG.

Both SnapDragon and RubyFrost have been a decade in the making, with the first trees planted in farmers’ orchards in 2011. The still-young trees have produced a limited crop this year, with plans for a much larger rollout in 2015-16.

“Retailers will appreciate SnapDragon because, although the apple’s harvest window starts relatively early – in late September – its long storage and shelf life means they may be able to offer it with consistent quality for a longer time than Honeycrisp,” said Susan Brown, Cornell University apple breeder.