Overwhelming Demand for Envy Apples

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Overwhelming demand for Envy apples

December 30, 2019

The Oppenheimer Group, based in Coquitlam, BC, has had a winter apple program in place since the first Washington Pacific Rose apple harvest about 20 years ago. Since then, Oppy has helped shape the “club” variety strategy in Washington with the introduction of JAZZ and Envy.

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“By introducing and building market share for these apples, Oppy has played a leading role in marketing managed varieties over the years,” said Roger Aguirre, Oppy’s director of apples and pears. “Success is achieved through collaboration with retail partners who share our belief in the potential of these varieties and are willing to get behind them with promotions.”

Today, Oppy’s winter apple program consists of four of the most sought-after premium apples — Ambrosia, JAZZ, Pacific Rose and Envy.

“Our Ambrosia is seasonal from British Columbia, and Pacific Rose specific to Washington, taking advantage of the world’s best-suited micro-climates for these varieties,” Aguirre said. “JAZZ and Envy are available from Oppy year-round with fruit from Chile, New Zealand and Washington. With 12-month programs of these two popular varieties, Oppy’s offerings truly stand out.”

The company noticed something unique this year with sales, as there’s been an almost overwhelming demand for the Envy apple.

“Independent sensory testing undertaken in the spring of 2019 revealed that Envy was preferred over Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp, Fuji, Gala and others for taste, appearance and texture,” Aguirre said. “With these advantages, plus year-round availability, Envy is showing enormous promise.”

Additionally, he noted that studies show that consumers appreciate being guided by notes around apple flavor and texture at the point-of-sale.

“Just a few descriptions can go a long way toward motivating someone to try a new kind of apple,” Aguirre said.

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“And while demos are tried and true... they absolutely work. Another key, as noted above, is consistent positioning of apple varieties week in and week out, so a person who enjoyed the apple once can become a frequent, consistent purchaser.”

The harvest this season has resulted in excellent quality and fairly typical sizing, Aguirre said, other than JAZZ peaking a little smaller, making it a great choice for bag programs — especially in the New Year when families tend to refocus on healthier eating.

The company supports its retail partners with materials like display units and tote bags that help create a consistent presence for Ambrosia, JAZZ, Envy and Pacific Rose. Loyalty to a specific variety is easier to achieve if the apple is positioned in the same location so shoppers who have had a good experience know where to find them next time they visit the store.

“Considering how flat the apple category is, the assortment a retailer carries becomes increasingly important,” he said.

“We’re seeing an evolution that brings more premium varieties into the mix alongside the old standards, and all the newer apples are competing with one another for space.”

Looking ahead, Oppy has several new varieties in trial programs in New Zealand and Spain so the future remains incredibly bright.

“Oppy is very excited about the increase in Envy apple volume anticipated over the next five years, and is working with retail partners with strategies that excite shoppers and create long-term loyalty to this special apple,” Aguirre said.