With the holidays fast approaching, Honeybear Brands — the marketing division of Wescott Agri-Products, a grower, producer and distributor of premium apples and pears — is gearing up to bring consumers a new apple variety, as well as its classic fan favorites.

“We were the first company growing Honeycrisp in Washington state over 20 years ago and you can still expect the best Honeycrisp from our company throughout the holiday season,” said Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing for the Elgin, MN-based company.

“In addition, in select markets, we are launching our new apple variety, Pazazz,” he continued. “We debuted this open-pollinated Honeycrisp-cross at PMA and it’s now in its second year of production.”

Roper said the reaction to the Pazazz apple from consumers in taste tests has been nothing but positive.

Bob Solberg, director of marketing at Honeybear Brands and Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing, displaying the company's new Pazazz apple during PMA Fresh Summit 2014 in Anaheim, CA, Oct. 17-19.“Our extensive consumer research throughout the U.S. and head-to-head varietal comparisons point to an unbelievable taste and eating experience for consumers and almost limitless potential for sales,” Roper said.

Honeybear Brands used its vast experience gained in growing and marketing the Honeycrisp apple and new varietal testing research to develop the Pazazz variety.

“We set out to grow a better apple,” Roper said. “To start with the right gene code (Honeycrisp) and work diligently to introduce what we know to be the best new apple in the marketplace.”

The Pazazz apple will start to roll out into stores in January, beginning in Central and Western Florida; North Carolina; Austin, TX; Des Moines, IA; Kansas City, KS; Minneapolis, St. Paul, and St. Cloud, MN; St. Louis, MO, and Toronto.

In addition to the launch of its new variety, Honeybear Brands has also introduced new, child-friendly packaging in a Honey Cubbies two-pound pouch bag, which features smaller Honeycrisp apples.

“Our research showed that families are looking for ways to entice their kids into eating more fruit and are also seeking convenience and the right sized pack,” Roper said. “The Honey Cubbies graphics appeal to the youth market and the packaging helps with the grab-and-go reality of quick trips to the produce aisle.”

Mid-winter apple sales will still be very strong and it is always important to put the right produce into the retail mix to drive sales, according to Roper. “Our consistent goal is to provide our retail partners with the absolute best piece of fruit and watch them do what they do best — market to their customers!”

The company started as Wescott Orchards, a family-run apple orchard in the early 1970s and has since expanded its operations with orchards in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Washington state.

Honeybear Brands is also one of the larger importers of Chilean apples and has the exclusive growing rights to Honeycrisp in the Southern Hemisphere.

For more information on Honeybear Brands and the launch of its new Pazazz variety, as well as recipes and apple tips, visit the company’s website: honeybearbrands.com.