More late-season varieties may help boost winter apple consumption
Overview of apples from New York in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on January 18, 2023.
Apple supplies continue to be steady out of New York state. “Our grower partners are growing more and more late-season varieties that give consumers a great selection in the winter months,” says Tenley Fitzgerald, vice president of marketing, Yes! Apples.
In terms of varieties, Honeycrisp continues to ship as does the late-season variety, RubyFrost. “SnapDragon is another late-season variety that starts shipping in October and these are very popular throughout the winter,” says Fitzgerald, adding that EverCrisp and Pink Lady are two additional varieties that will continue to be available throughout winter and into the spring.
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
Healthy eating boost
In terms of consumption, apples continue to see steady demand. “Apples are a year-round favorite of many. Emphasizing late-season apples may be one way to help consumers consider purchasing more of them during the winter,” says Fitzgerald. “Consumers know that apples make a great snack any time of the year but often in the winter, when people may be more likely to focus on their health and wellness, they may be looking for ways to eat a healthier diet.”
As far as challenges this season, while the recent winter storm that blanketed parts of the Northeast held up apple movement for a few days, Fitzgerald says Yes! Apples got back on track relatively quickly. “Inflation though has impacted everyone in the industry. Prices have to go up to cover the costs of growing quality apples,” adds Fitzgerald.
The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.
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