The trademarked variety, which is marketed by Italy’s two largest apple exporters, has apparently continued to win over buyers across Europe
It’s been more than seven years since Yello, a new yellow-skinned apple bred in Japan and grown in the Südtirol region of Italy, was officially unveiled at Interpoma in Bolzano. Since that initial launch, the variety has apparently built up a committed customer base as its production volumes have grown.
VOG and VIP, two major Italian marketers that are licensed to sell it, say sales have also increased steadily. That demand is said to be strong and growing among wholesalers and retailers alike. Around the start of November, the companies announced Yello’s return to the market.
This season they expect a slightly bigger volume of conventional and organic fruit to be available – all of it in what they describe as “excellent” condition. From a sales standpoint, the outlook is encouraging for both VOG sales manager Klaus Hölzl and Fabio Zanesco, contract variety manager at VIP.
“Thanks to its excellent sensory characteristics, Yello has won a loyal audience among apple specialists and discerning consumers,” they explain. “Market demand is promising in Italy, as well as in other European and non-European countries.”
Yello-branded apples are a variety called Shinano Gold, a cross between Golden Delicious and Senshu that is characterised by bright yellow skin, crisp flesh and a high level of natural sugars. Each derives from the foothills of the Hida Mountains, also known as the Japanese Alps, where the variety was discovered.
According to its marketers, consumers appreciate Yello’s exotic aroma, its inviting pale-yellow colouring, and its fine, crisp flesh. Those features, they argue, make it a product that stands out in what remains a very crowded and competitive market segment.
And for apple farmers in South Tyrol, this seemingly unique variety seems to have a bright future ahead.
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