TREES FOR NEW “COSMIC CRISP” APPLE GOING INTO THE GROUND
PROSSER, Wash – Hundreds of thousands of trees bearing a brand new variety of apple are going into the ground in Eastern Washington. It’s the first major apple variety ever developed in Washington.
It’s called the Cosmic Crisp — a cross between an Enterprise and Honey Crisp apple. “I think it’s going to be one of the major apples in our industry,” says Dave Allen, of Allen Brothers Fruit. He has been growing and testing the Cosmic Crisp for about six years now.
The apple was developed by WSU researchers, and this spring 600 thousand commercial trees are being planted in orchards in Eastern Washington. “Well, it’s a very wonderful apple. It’s a sweet, tart apple, it stores a long time, it doesn’t brown very much and it’s a very delightful apple,” says Allen.
Article by Kristi Paulus, KEPR TV
NEW APPLE VARIETIES AND NEW ORCHARDS COME TO KITTITAS
Apple orchards continue to expand in Kittitas County as fruit companies buy hay fields and replant them with new, and never before seen, varieties of fruit.
A big reason for the change is because of the weather conditions in Kittitas County, which are milder than areas like Yakima, said Rafael Garcia, area manager for the Zirkle Fruit Company in Kittitas County. Honeycrisp and similar varieties grow too big in hotter weather.
“The quality of the fruit that we’re picking is really good and that’s why we’re putting more orchards in here,” Garcia said. “Because the summer is shorter and we can control the size better.”
Article by Tony Buhr, Daily Record
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN A NEW APPLE COMES TO TOWN
Apple growers in Washington state, who dominate American apple production, are starting to plant a new kind of apple. It’s the fastest launch of a new variety in history.
These farmers have been looking for a new variety to grow. Older types of apples, like Red Delicious, have fallen out of favor among American consumers. So growers are ripping out old fruit trees — in this case, apricot trees — to make way for an apple variety called Cosmic Crisp. It’s the most successful result so far of an apple breeding effort that Bruce Barritt began at Washington State University more than 20 years ago.
Article by Dan Charles, Northwest Public Radio
THE BUZZ IS GROWING FOR COSMIC CRISP
Cosmic Crisp has been a huge topic among growers for years, and now the variety is gaining profile in the general media.
National Public Radio sent a reporter to Wenatchee, Washington, to interview growers and researchers about the apple. That’s helpful for Washington growers, who will have nine million Cosmic Crisp trees growing within three years.
Cosmic Crisp is exciting in several ways, for what it means to the industry and for its expected success with consumers. How marketers will engage consumers is described in our forthcoming June issue. Meanwhile, here’s what NPR said about the apple.
Article by Casey Corr, Good Fruit Grower
COSMIC CRISP APPLES WILL REVOLUTIONIZE INDUSTRY, FARMERS SAY
The Cosmic Crisp, named for the yellow star-like specks that dot its deep red skin, has become extremely popular with growers in Washington, who have already planted upwards of 12 million Cosmic Crisp apple trees across the state, reports NPR.
In fact, Washington farmers are so invested in the Cosmic Crisp, that they plan to deliver their first shipment of the new variety — 5 million 40-pound boxes — to supermarkets in 2019.
To put that into perspective, it took farmers around 20 years to reach the same output of Honeycrisp apples after they first hit the market.
Article by Fox News
NEW 150-ACRE BLOCK FOR HONEYCRISP AND COSMIC CRISP APPLE VARIETIES
The trees are in bloom, the bees are hard at work, and the smell of spring is in the air. The Superfresh Growers® team joined Dave Gleason, Chief Horticulturist, in one of the newer Eastern Washington orchard blocks to learn about the latest orchard happenings.
The majority of cherries have passed full bloom, while most apples are just beginning, and apricots are in the final stages of bloom. “One of my favorite times of year is when the flowers are coming out,” explains Gleason. “We hit full bloom when the maximum number of flowers are open. The aroma of the orchard is intoxicating. It’s wonderful.”
Article by Fresh Plaza
LOCAL GROWERS GAMBLE BIG ON COSMIC CRISP™
Jeannie Yandel speaks with NPR food reporter Dan Charles about a new apple variety coming to Washington state known as the Cosmic Crisp. Washington grows 70 percent of the apples in the United States, and Red Delicious is the largest single variety grown in the state.
But Americans don’t really buy Red Delicious apples anymore. Only half of the 2016 crop has been sold. And the majority of those have gone overseas. Most American shoppers like other varieties – the Honeycrisp, the Gala, the Pink Lady. So apple growers are changing things up. They’re hoping Cosmic Crisp will be a big hit among apple lovers.
Article & Interview by Jeannie Yandel and Matt Martin
OUT OF THIS WORLD EXPECTATIONS FOR COSMIC CRISP APPLE
There’s a new apple on the horizon, and it goes by the name of Cosmic Crisp. The apple, previously referred to as WA 38, took center stage at the International Fruit Tree Association’s (IFTA) Annual Conference in the variety’s home state of Washington in February. The variety transition, cutting-edge production systems, and robotics were some of the many highlights of this conference’s sole focus on apples.
Article by Christina Herrick, Growing Produce
A NEW APPROACH FOR A NEW APPLE
Two-thirds of the nation’s apples come from Washington State at a value of nearly $2.4 billion.
The state’s industry is taking a unified approach to introduce a new variety they believe is out of this world.
Two hundred apple growers and industry representatives have come to a field day in Prosser, Washington, to get a glimpse of an apple most have already committed to growing, processing and distributing. Its hybrid name is WA38, but the public will know it as Cosmic Crisp.
Ric Valicoff, Valkicoff Fruit Company: “That apple is extremely grower friendly. It sets itself up well in the tree, on either spindle, wall trellis, V trellis, what have you. It’s going to be way easier to deal with than the Honeycrisp, and a way better keeper.”
The rollout of Cosmic Crisp is a first for the apple industry, in that it mimics the introduction of many packaged foods. Apples are introduced to growers every year by university research farms, but this is the first time an apple has been taken through taste tests and focus groups before introduction. The audience data assured processors and wholesalers there is a market for the new apple.
Article By Peter Tubbs, Market to Market
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE TRIES COSMIC CRISP™ BRAND APPLES
Proprietary Variety Management recently shipped apples to the 2017 Legislative Reception in Olympia, WA on January 16th where several Washington State grown foods, including Cosmic Crisp™ brand apples, which were a big hit! There were about 40 guests who sampled a variety of foods prepared from Washington crops. A display of Cosmic Crisp™ brand apples was laid out for everyone to try. Multiple attendees remarked how delicious the apples are. The representative from Whidbey Island said they were very good and took several samples.
“We are all looking forward to buying [Cosmic Crisp™ brand apples] in our stores!”
– Janet Spingath, Executive Assistant & Member Services at Washington Friends of Farms & Forests
