Case Study

Summary

Cosmic Crisp® brand apples are a cross between ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Honeycrisp’. The large, juicy apple has a remarkably firm and crisp texture. Its exceptional flavor profile provides ample sweetness and tartness, making it an excellent eating apple. In addition to being delicious, it is slow to brown when cut and maintains its texture and flavor in storage for more than a year.

The apple variety is the latest edition of Washington State University’s world-class tree fruit breeding program. WSU distributed the first trees to farmers in the spring of 2017, and consumers will see the first Cosmic Crisp® apples arrive in stores in December of 2019. 

Brand Development

Naming the apple involved several meetings with focus groups around the state with sessions in Pullman, Yakima, and Seattle. The “Cosmic” factor in the name was developed because of the striking lenticels on the apple surface. Those little spots look like starbursts to some and consumers are believed to be drawn to names relating to outer space and the cosmos. One of the outstanding attributes of the variety is its crisp texture. “Crisp” also links to its parent, ‘Honeycrisp’. Playing off the name Cosmic, the logo and imagery were cleverly created with the galaxy in mind.

Finding a brand that resonates with consumers is a critical initial step in developing a new variety. When consumers can make an emotional connection to a brand that is the first step in establishing brand loyalty which leads to the success of a new variety.

Designing distinctive logos and packaging designs is also important when differentiating between all the new varieties that consumers are presented with at the retailer.