The 'Sweetie' apple

Sweetie apples set for UK

Leon Jahae

Sweetie apples will be planted in the UK from November 2011.

The New Zealand variety is a cross between Gala and Braeburn and a sister to Jazz, as it came from the same programme.

The apple will be planted in the UK from next winter, by The Co-operative Farms. Around 10,000 trees will be planted in the first year and the first arrivals will hit the shelves in September 2012, when 30-40t(*) should be available.

Belgium-based Nursery René Nicolaï is the head licence holder of the variety.

Leon Jahae, a top-fruit consultant who works for Agrovista, said: “This apple fills the gap between September and December and picks seven days before Gala – it covers a part of the season in which we don’t have that much choice. For that period of time, it’s a better apple that stores better; it has a longer shelf life and answers the needs of the consumer.”

* That is a huge yield for an one orchard given the whole of UK produces 110-140t per year

The Co-operatives Farms

Tillington Estate

The Co-operative Farms
Tillington Fruit Farm
Tillington
Herefordshire
HR4 8LD

The Co-operative Farms own 500 acres of the Tillington estate, where we have been farming since 1946. We grow many varieties of apples for eating and turning into juice and cider. In 2008 we bought an orchard containing as many as 1,000 varieties of rare and endangered apples at the brink of extinction. This orchard is now at Tillington being used as part of our limited edition Co-operative Farms Truly Irresistible Tillington 1,000 pressed apple juice.

Highland Court

The Co-operative Farms
Highland Court
Bridge
Near Canterbury
Kent
CT4 5HN

What we grow:

Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums, Apricots, Asparagus 

What we pack:

Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums

About the farm:

Highland court was originally an arable farm with a substantial Jersey milking herd. The farm started growing apples in the early 1950s and over the years increased acreage and production with new farms being acquired during the past 30 years. There is approximately 1,050 acres of farming land across the estate.

Cold storage for apples was built in 1960. In the late 1970s Highland Court began to introduce fruit packing and grading.

From January 2011 The Co-operative Farms began to lease the estate's five farms, packhouse and cold store. 

apples

picked to perfection

We have been growing apples for eating and pressing at our fruit farm in Tillington, Herefordshire, since 1946. The warm temperatures and the slopes of the glacial and alluvial hills of Herefordshire make it an ideal location for fruit growing.

The farm manager, William Barnett, has been growing apples for over 30 years. His expertise won him Top Fruit Grower of the Year at the prestigious Horticulture Week magazine’s Grower of the Year awards in 2010.

Tillington Estate dessert apples

Autumn is the British apple season. Each day from October, William’s team pick the apples which have reached their peak to ensure we get the best flavour. The variety of red apple in our dessert apple bag will change throughout the season, which means you always get the finest apple available at the time. In selected stores in autumn.
 

Tillington 1,000 pressed apple juice

An exciting addition to our ‘Grown by us’ range.

Our scrumptious new drink uses over 1000 varieties of rare and endangered British apples, including “Isaac Newton’s Tree”. This apple is identical to the variety said to have inspired Sir Isaac Newton to discover gravity, when he watched an apple falling from a tree in the garden of his home.

Many of the 1,000 varieties were threatened with extinction until The Co-operative Farms bought one of three identical orchards in 2008. We now grow and harvest the apples on our fruit farm in Tillington, Herefordshire.

The others were purchased by the Prince of Wales and a private Scottish collector, but our collection is the only one being put to a commercial use. Other rare varieties grown at Tillington, and included in the Tillington 1000 apple juice, are Great Expectations, Fairie Queen, Northern Spy, Forty Shilling, Duck’s Bill and Bloody Ploughman.

This limited juice, which is part of the Truly Irresistible premium range, was so luscious it sold out within weeks of its launch in January 2010! We hope to produce a lot more after this year's harvest.

The responsibility for the National Fruit Collection (which also includes apricots, cherries, pears and plums) at Brogdale has transferred to Reading University from The Brogdale Horticultural Trust, which decided to sell the 1,000 rare apples in three identical collections in the belief that this was the best way of ensuring their survival. For more information on the collection and apple varieties, please visit their website www.nationalfruitcollection.org.uk 

British Cox pressed apple juice

“Grown by us” pressed apple juice is made using 100% Cox’s Orange Pippin apples, hand picked from our fruit farm at Tillington.

Harvest begins in October and the apples are selected for their crisp, sweet flavour, which creates a great fresh tasting juice.

The Co-operative Farms edition is available in 1L bottles in larger Co-operative Food stores for around two thirds of the year. When supply runs out a standard Truly Irresistible British Cox pressed apple juice is available, made using Cox apples sourced by approved growers.

The Sweetie Apple is introduced in New Zealand August 2005

Prevar presentation 

Presents an International survey of Apple tastes and influences

Although most attributes included in the questionnaire are convenience-related, great taste and keeps me healthy remain the two strongest drivers, in that order.

Note that easy to prepare and general acceptance are the two biggest convenience drivers.

SweetieTM Apple; Prem1A cv: Open release. Tree royalty only. Small plantings in NZ, with 2007/08 plantings expected in EU, USA and Australia. Performing very well offshore.

Sweetie apple Prem1A cv

'SWEETIE' Gala (PremA280 cv. )
A New Zealand Sport of Royal Gala (EXCLUSIVE TO ANFIC)

Fruit: Elongated shape, good size.
Skin: Red, striped, thick.
Flesh: Sweet, rich and sub acid, crisp, juicy.
Comments: Matures early, one week before Royal Gala. Good productivity. Harvest starts similar to slightly earlier than ‘Royal Gala’. Fruit differentiated by elongated shape, sweet rich taste. Texture after storage similar to ‘Royal Gala’.
Maturity and storage characteristics
At harvest

Hv	Harvest	Fruit	Ethylene	Background	Blush	Flesh	Soluble	SPI	Greasi
	date	weight		colour		firmness	solids		ness
		(g)	(ul/l)	(1-7 Brn)	(%)	(kg f)	(%)	(0-6)	(0-3)
1	9-Feb	147	2.5	3.8	52.8	8.4	10.8	0.9	0.0
2	16-Feb	158	4.1	5.3	49.8	8.6	11.4	2.1	0.0
3	23-Feb	162	3.7	5.5	60.8	8	11.4	2.7	0.1
4	2-Mar	168	6.0	6.1	78	7.9	11.9	3.6	0.8

After storage (10 weeks)

Hv	Harvest	Background	Flesh	Soluble	Greasi
	date	colour	firmness	solids	ness
		(1-7 Brn)	(kg f)	(%)	(0-3)
1	9-Feb	5.5	8.5	12.1	0.0
2	16-Feb	5.5	7.8	12.5	0.0
3	23-Feb	6.3	7.8	12.7	0.8
4	2-Mar	7.0	7.5	12.7	1.5

Information: Taken from trials in New Zealand.

http://www.produceofnewzealand.org/about/taste/

Packaging in New Zealand

Domestic Market Options

Z Pack 18.0kg net
Maxi Z Pack 20.5kg net
Polybag 12 x 1kg net
Polybag 12 x 2kg net
Crates
One way bulk bins 300kg net

The Sweetie apple in Washington

The Sweetie apple

Australia's Marketing Plan 2008

Some useful direction about how Australia targets its marketing incl to Health professionals and Children

http://www.haveanaussieapple.com.au/