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Belleharvest Sales Inc.’s new varieties arrive this fall

August 15, 2018

This season Belleharvest Sales Inc. is enjoying several firsts relating to its fresh apple varieties.

Belleharvest will harvest Michigan’s first crop of the special Smitten variety. Before now, Smitten has only been produced on the U.S. West Coast or in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Chris Sandwick, vice president of sales and marketing for BelleHarvest.

Chris Sandwick

In Michigan, Belleharvest’s growers’ Smitten trees are now mature. “The early view is that the first crop should be harvested in the first, or maybe second, week of September.”

Another new apple variety coming on for Belleharvest this fall is the EverCrisp. “We have young

1 / 3 trees that are becoming adolescents. We will have a nice crop for the first time.”

BelleHarvest is the first sales agency in the Midwest to be granted access to market the proprietary apple varieties, SnapDragon and RubyFrost, made available through joining Crunch Time Apple Growers of New York.

Formed in 2010, Crunch Time Apple Growers is a grower-owned company united with the mission of introducing exclusive, high-flavor or unique and innovative apple varieties to the marketplace. The organization comprises 145 grower members in the state of New York, representing about 60 percent of the state’s apple production.

In partnership with Cornell University, in 2013 Crunch Time released to the public its first two apple varieties: SnapDragon and RubyFrost.

Sandwick said that Belleharvest this fall will also be shipping “a really nice crop of . We think we are best in class with our Honeycrisp program.” Belleharvest will start shipping Honeycrisp about Sept. 15 and plans to ship them from storage through April.

A pouch program, packing for the convenience of children and school lunches, is continuing for Belleharvest this fall. The company will be packing , Honeycrisp and in pouch bags. Belleharvest expects to produce and ship strong supplies of all of these — and all its varieties — this fall.

“We expect a great year,” he said. “It’s ‘steady as she goes’, with new varieties certainly part of our program. It’s all about the eating experience. Belleharvest offers super to bring a good eating experience.”

For Belleharvest, and apple harvest is expected to begin about Aug. 20.

Galas, McIntosh and Smitten are coming on about Sept. 1. Honeycrisp and Fuji harvest is expected around Sept. 15 and Empires and Cortlands, Sept. 22.

Jonathans and harvest should come about Sept. 27. Red and are coming on Sept. 20, and by Oct. 15 there should be the new SnapDragon variety on the market. EverCrisp, and RubyFrost will be available later this fall from Belleharvest.

The Washington state apple industry is reporting a slightly smaller crop than it produced in 2017. “That is still a lot of apples,” Sandwick said. “Nationally, it will be a large but manageable crop. Things are looking good. But if you’re not optimistic now, you’re in trouble!” he observed in late July.

“Our challenge is not other apple growers, but manufacturers of unhealthy snack foods,” said Sandwick, who somewhat apologized that his strategic philosophy remains unchanged from season to season.

Angela Sommers has become a marketing specialist at BelleHarvest Sales. She will offer promotional support to retail partners and focus on Belleharvest’s new variety programs, such as Smitten, EverCrisp and Topaz.

Sommers is from a six-generation Michigan Apple family and has long had a passion for the industry. “We are thrilled to have Angela join our team,” said Sandwick. “Her energy and excitement

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will be a welcome addition as our company continues to expand into new markets.”

Sommers brings experience in agricultural marketing as well as time in the non-profit sector.

“I am so excited to bring everything I’ve learned back to the apple industry,” said Sommers, “It’s a perfect opportunity to help bring great-tasting, healthy food to people around the world.”

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