CHELAN, WA - During summer vacation, I used to lazily swing on a tire, apple in hand. It’s not every day that you meet an apple that takes you right back to those memories, but Chelan Fresh’s KORU® perfectly straddles the line between nostalgia and innovation. Crisp, tangy, and sweet, this apple variety—a cross between a Fuji and a Braeburn—has consumers hungry for more.
I chatted with Director of Marketing, Mac Riggan, to learn more about the KORU apple and how retailers can take full advantage of this summertime offering.
“KORU apples originate out of New Zealand, and we bring them to the United States around the first of May,” Mac explains to me, letting me know that the apple usually runs through the end of September and the domestic crop begins in mid-October.
Once we’re on the topic of KORU, Mac can’t help but explain how delicious they are.
“It’s got a flavor that is kind of sweet, kind of tangy, with a rich, honey-like aftertaste,” he lets me know. “It’s got a really unique flavor. When you offer this variety in the summer months—when the apple category can be a little tired—it’s a fresh, exciting apple that eats well and stores well.”
For retailers hoping to inspire their customers into trying this apple, Mac confidently states that KORU speaks for itself.
“Consistency is everything when you’re trying to sell produce on a regular basis, and that’s really one of KORU’s strengths,” he explains. “KORU is grown by high-quality growers in New Zealand who apply the most stringent food safety practices in both the farm and the packing shed. Americans have a good view of New Zealand product. It just has a quality halo around it. For retailers, you don’t have to sell the public on the quality and the safety of the product. You just have to get it out there and promote it.”
Chelan Fresh offers a 2 lb pouch bag for its domestic crop beginning in October, a ready-to-display carton that can fit up to 27 lbs, as well as demo cards, POS cards, and posters. In addition, they offer demos to key retail partners to really dial into getting KORU promotions and creating that buzz around the variety.
If you’re looking to get consumers excited once more for the snappy zing of a delicious apple, look no further than Chelan Fresh’s KORU.
