Ardgour Valley Orchards’ new premium brand set to capture attention in domestic and international markets with fresh look
The new summer series of apricots and premium New Zealand cherries from Ardgour Valley Orchards will hit domestic and international shelves this season under the new name Temptation Valley.
Ardgour Valley Orchards’ international sales and marketing manager Sharon Kirk said the Temptation Valley brand was developed to resonate with apricot consumers the world over.
The brand’s launch would provide an engaging platform for the first five specialty apricots from the Summer series, released for commercialisation by New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research two years ago.
“Summer series apricots by Temptation Valley are uniquely New Zealand, moreish and tempting. We developed an emotive brand to describe the feeling of summer love through the slightly different seasonal timing of Summer series apricots,” Kirk said.
“We have the most beautiful looking, delicious apricots in the world and we want people to ‘fall in love’ with every bite of every apricot by remembering what it’s like to fall in love. The story of the brand starts with Summer Spark which is a promise of what’s to come as the season progresses.
“First you meet someone and there’s a spark, so the first to ripen is Summer Spark. That spark turns into desire (Summer Desire), then the charm develops as you get to know someone, (Summer Charm) and, as you fall in love, there’s a passion (Summer Passion) and finally a blaze (Summer Blaze).
While all varieties were highly blushed, juicy and sweet with an expected Brix around 18 compared with the industry standard of 9-11, each had its own distinct eating attributes, she said.
“Over time, consumers will develop a taste for their favourite from the Summer series just as they have with other well-known apricot varieties.”
“Temptation Valley is a beautiful, upbeat brand that matches the vibrancy of the apricots. The packaging is delightful, attractive and developed around a Garden of Eden theme that is one of richness and irresistibility. A sticker on each punnet, box and carton signifies which variety is inside.”
Of approximately 150 tonnes of Temptation Valley apricots to be harvested this season, about 100 tonnes will be exported to Canada, the US, the UK, Dubai, Saudia Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. This is more than double the volume produced last season and is due to tree age and ideal conditions during the blossoming and fruit-set period.
Kirk said Ardgour Valley Orchards had a 56 per cent share of the Summer series market and was the largest producer growing the summerfruit under licence to NZ Summerfresh, the commercial partner of Plant & Food Research. It is also one of the largest apricot producers in New Zealand with some 25ha of apricots and 13ha of cherries under production.
Ardgour Valley Orchards also produces Kioto variety apricots as well as four cherry varieties including hero cherry, distinctive white-fleshed, red-blushed Stardust and red varieties, Lapins, Kordia and Sweet Georgia.
For the export trade, Temptation Valley apricots will be presented in deep blue boxes (3kg, 5kg) while Temptation Valley cherries will be packed in red boxes (1kg, 2kg and 5kg). A 900g apricot punnet will also be available domestically.
For the first time, New Zealanders will also be able to buy Temptation Valley apricots and Temptation Valley cherries online for next-day delivery.
Ardgour Valley Orchards’ apricot and cherry harvest began in late December with the peak of the season coinciding with Lunar New Year celebrations in late January. Apricots will be available until late February.
