Pink Lady, the number one global Club apple now growing successfully in Great Britain, albeit currently in the south.
The first British grown Pink Lady went on sale in February 2023
For the first time UK consumers could buy UK grown Pink Lady (albeit in very small quantities) as the first crop of UK Pink Lady is launched. Grown and marketed by Adrian Scripps Ltd and Worldwide Fruit Ltd growers. Volumes will rise next season (2023)
The most successful high value Global apple is Pink Lady. There are others like Jazz which has modelled it's marketing strategy on the success of Pink Lady. The success required an exceptional apple with great taste, texture and very 'uniform' visual appearance.
For consumers to buy, and repeat buy, uniformity must be delivered. Cripps Pink delivers the optimum eating quality and by setting a specification for high colour (minimum red colour) while licensing it as Pink Lady only to growers capable of meeting the high standard, plus controlling the volume grown to meet consumer demand and NOT exceeding it, delivers profit to the grower ensuring financial sustainability!
Below: John Cripps bred Cripps Pink precursor to branded apple Pink Lady
Pink Lady originates from Australia and its variety name is: Cripps Pink. However the decision to create a BRAND name of PINK LADY with a higher specification and grow it only under a protected licence while promoting the brand image globally has made this the most successful apple variety with consumers and growers alike!
The story of Pink Lady is the result of the fascinating endeavour by 'British-Australian' breeder John Cripps!
"John Ernest Lane Cripps was born on 9 April 1927 in Steyning, Sussex, England. He graduated from Reading University as a Horticulturist, and emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.
For many years we believed Pink Lady could not or would not, be grown in the UK. But as the effect of climate change improved the potential for Cripps Pink to be grown here, and the owners of Pink Lady licences accepted the potential for UK Pink Lady production.
Licenses have been issued to a few growers with the capability to grow Pink Lady successfully here.
Worldwide Fruit says variety has "thrived" amid Britain's changing growing conditions
Below: New-season British Pink Lady apples hit supermarkets shelves in January, with licensed grower Worldwide Fruit reporting great-quality fruit.
Known for being the first to blossom and the last to be hand-picked, the branded variety is reported to have thrived amid Britain's changing climate conditions since it first went on sale in 2022.
Worldwide Fruit, one of only two licensees for the variety in the UK, said it is set for its biggest Pink Lady harvest to date in January.
Below: Pink Lady in a Worldwide Fruit Ltd grower's orchard in Kent in late October
Worldwide Fruit Ltd is delighted with this season's crop and expects supply to last six to eight weeks.
Hannah Mcllfatrick, commercial director at Worldwide Fruit, said: "Growing Pink Lady in the UK has been a significant achievement. Pink Lady is the UK's biggest fresh produce brand and a firm favourite with our consumers. It's fantastic to have a British offer, to complement our supplier partners overseas.'
Tony Harding, procurement and technical director at Worldwide Fruit, added: "We are delighted with the fruit quality again this year. Colouration is fantastic, with good texture and the perfect Pink Lady flavour profile. Fruit was harvested in optimum condition."
Below: left and right: More Pink Lady just before harvest in East Kent
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man