After their recent launch of the SnapDragon and RubyFrost apple varieties, New York Apple Growers (NYAG) has opted to change its name to Crunch Time Apple Growers.
The organisation is comprised of 145 grower members who are united with the mission of introducing exclusive, flavourful apple varieties to the marketplace.
“The success and interest of these new apples has gotten a lot of attention and retailers were confusing us with other similarly named organisations such as New York Apple Sales and New York Apple Association, so we felt it was time to make a change,” stated Mark Russell, Crunch Time’s marketing committee chair.
SnapDragon and RubyFrost have been a decade in the making, and their path to go to market is a first for the Cornell apple breeding programme.
In 2010, NYAG aligned with Cornell to develop a managed release to establish an exclusive licensing agreement in North America for the two varieties. Growers pay royalties on trees purchased, acreage planted and fruit produced, and the income is being used to help support Cornell’s apple breeding programme.
“We wanted the name to reflect our forward-thinking organisation that will continue to bring premium apple varieties to market.” stated Russell. “In addition, we are now in the process of developing a trade brand presence for the new organisational name as well.”
The SnapDragon apple variety will launch in October in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Regions. RubyFrost will be in-stores again this January 2016.
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