Kissabel apple harvest started in Switzerland

With the first harvest of the Jaune and Orange varieties, the season of Kissabel apples has really started for partners of the orchard project in the northern hemisphere. Switzerland, France and the UK experienced the same type of weather in 2021, characterised by low rainfall and low temperatures. This makes the colouring of the flesh of the varieties Jaune and Orange even more intense, but the sizes of the apples are somewhat smaller than last year. However, the quality is good, as is the interest in this variety among customers will grow even further through targeted marketing campaigns.

Kissabel Orange and Kissabel Jaune are apple varieties with pigmented flesh marketed in Europe by partners of the Iforedproject. The first variety has deep pink flesh, an orange-free peel and fresh taste. The Second Variety has pink flesh, a yellow peel and a balanced taste.

In the UK, the colour and taste development of the Jaune and Orange varieties was good. “The picking of Orange apples began in the second half of September and that of Jaune in early October. The quality of the harvest is good, despite the slight difference between day and night temperatures over the last few months, a factor that could have endangered the sweetness and characteristic colouring,” says Anna Coxe of Greenyard. “We are ready to deliver the Kissabel apples to our customers across the UK.”

“We have started the harvest of Kissabel Jaune and the colouring is extraordinary. Since most of our orchards are only two years old, the yields are somewhat lower. However, in orchards that are four years old, we count on yields of up to 40 tons per hectare,” explains Hannah Martin, Commercial Director of Wordwide Fruit. “We have planned specific marketing activities for Kissabel, such as boxes with ingredients for preparing various apple dishes. We also sponsor the National Fruit Show, where we will be present with a stand and hand out Kissabel Jaune and Orange apples to introduce the public to these varieties.”

In France, expectations for the New Kissabel season are high. “We’ve already started picking. Despite the fact that the apples are smaller than the previous two seasons, the colouring is more intense and the yields are also excellent. We expect to harvest around 600 tonnes of apples in total,” says Marc Peyres, Export Manager at Blue Whale. “We prepare promotions and promotions that respond to the theme of Halloween. Kissabel apples are well-received by our customers. In the short term we also hope to be able to offer red-fleshy varieties, which are very suitable for cultivation in southern France.”