Hot Honey Crisp Near Harvest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denise Donohue
(800) 456-2753
(DeWitt, Mich.) – Apple growers in southwest Michigan will begin to harvest Honeycrisp apples early next week, but significant volume from the state's most popularly planted commercial apple tree is still a couple weeks away.
“Consumers can expect to see Michigan Honeycrisp at farm markets in southwest Michigan starting next week, but most shoppers will have to wait until mid-September to purchase them at the supermarket,” said Denise Donohue, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee.
Introduced to Michigan in 1990 when just a couple of acres were planted, the Honeycrisp is now the most planted apple tree in the state. Today there are more than 1,600 acres of Honeycrisp trees in Michigan.
Reaction to this particular variety is unprecedented, said Donohue. “There are several orchards in the state that report people standing in long lines just to get their hands on this apple,” she said. “And some of our farm markets even have a Honeycrisp countdown letting customers know just exactly how many days are left until the variety is picked.”
Typically, Michigan Honeycrisp apples are sold out by the end of October, but industry leaders say supply should soon be extended. This is because over the course of the last 10 years, many Michigan Apple growers have taken out less popular apple varieties and planted Honeycrisp in their place, said Donohue.
Michigan Honeycrisp are fresh-eating apples particularly good for snacking and salads. To find the nearest farm market offering Honeycrisp apples, please visit MichiganApples.com. Click on Where to Go/Buy and then Farm Markets. The red apple denotes Honeycrisp availability. (Not all farm markets have notified MAC of Honeycrisp; so calling your local orchard ahead is recommended.)
To help shoppers better identify the Michigan Honeycrisp, the Michigan Apple Committee – the non-profit organization working on behalf of the industry – has developed a logo and some new packaging that will be available in select stores this fall.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded, nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world.