WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt Growers is introducing the latest addition to its product offering, the newly-named Rave™ apple.
“We are beyond excited about the chosen brand name of our newest star apple,” Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl said, according to a press release. “The Rave™ apple has explosive flavor and with its early harvest timing and dessert qualities, it will reinvent the month of August for the apple category. We look forward to bringing small volumes of Rave™ apples to market in 2017.”
Rave™ was born and named by The University of Minnesota and licensed to grow, pack, and market in North America by Stemilt.
Coming off the tree in late July, Stemilt said that its unique position as the first apple to ripen in Washington State, and its incredible crunch and juicy flavor, are among the exciting attributes that made this variety the choice for Stemilt.
“We are constantly seeking new apple varieties with flavors and qualities that will wow the consumer. It’s all about building fruit fans of tomorrow, and Rave™ certainly has the ‘wow factor’ to do just that. We can’t wait to bring this phenomenal apple into stores next August,” said Pepperl.
A cross between Honeycrisp and an unreleased variety called MonArk, this apple is described as having more defined flavor and quality attributes as Honeycrisp, combined with MonArk’s ability to ripen early, yet color well, and maintain a crisp, juicy texture through the summer heat.
“Rave™ is a powerful brand name for apples, and one that we know will leave a lasting impression on consumers, especially after they bite into one,” David Bedford, Research Scientist for the University of Minnesota apple breeding program, said.
Not only is Rave™ a new chapter in Stemilt’s story of bringing innovative products to market, which includes its signature Piñata!® apple and supplying the West Coast with the University’s popular SweeTango® apple, it is the sum of nearly 20 years of work from the University, including 5-6 years of testing at multiple locations across the U.S.
“Rave™ joins our breeding program’s other success stories, Honeycrisp and SweeTango®, and helps us meet our goal of bringing excitement to consumers as they shop for apples,” Bedford finished.
And, like the Honeycrisp and SweeTango®, Stemilt said that it believes Rave™ apples will be the next standout in the produce department. Currently, the company is working on packaging and a logo for the variety.
The highest quality fruit from MN55 trees will go to market as Rave™ apples beginning in summer 2017 from Stemilt's growers. Stay tuned as we await the big reveal of what the brand will look like later this year.
