<p>Riveridge Produce and its six Michigan packing houses are implementing a 10-point protocol to ensure high quality carton packs on its Honeycrisp apples.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“As the volume leader for Honeycrisp production in Michigan, we feel a responsibility to our apple buyers – and our growers – to pack the best possible quality Honeycrisp that leads to consumer satisfaction and minimal shrink on the sales floor,” said Don Armock, CEO of Riveridge Produce Marketing, Inc.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Riveridge has a high percentage of apples that go through state-of-the-art external /internal defect sorting technology which helps detect bitter pit and internal browning the top quality issues associated with Honeycrisp, according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“Given that Riveridge is expecting record volumes of Honeycrisp this year and the next five or more years, we came to the decision that we needed to formalize our best practices for this unique apple,” Armock said. “Many of these items we were already doing, but by adopting them as official protocol and training to these standards, we will raise the bar on Michigan Honeycrisp quality.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Riveridge’s Honeycrisp protocol addresses orchard, storage and packing practices that include sun protection and calcium supplement guidelines, and multi-pass and stem-clipping harvest practices. The company has also established strict maturity protocols for harvest timing and storage to ensure apples are fully sweet and ripe when they arrive at retail.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Best practices in storage include specific conditioning techniques, as well as the latest storage research from Michigan State University and other leaders in fruit physiology and storage.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“We’ve been talking about these practices and everyone throughout our organization recognizes the need to deliver perfect Honeycrisp to consumers to maintain its premium status in the marketplace,” Armock said. Michigan has more than 1 million Honeycrisp trees in the ground, Armock said. According to the US Department of Agriculture Honeycrisp now comprises at least 8.5 percent of Michigan’s apple acreage.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“With these new plantings entering their prime bearing years, we’re optimistic that Michigan will be in the Honeycrisp market into at least February,” Armock said. “Our supplies have typically been gone by mid-November because of such strong consumer demand for a northern-grown Honeycrisp.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.riveridgeproduce.com" target="_new">Riveridge </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
