Applewood Fresh Growers LLC is a fourth-generation grower, packer, shipper and marketer whose roots go back to 1935. The company is owned by the Swindeman family, who also own Applewood orchards—a grower and packer of apples located in southeast Michigan.

“Apples are the main produce item we sell, accounting for 95 percent of what we do, but we also sell some Michigan asparagus,” said Brian J Coates, vice president of sales and business development for the Sparta, MI-based company.

“We sell 21 varieties of apples and represent five packing facilities.”

Last season, the apple crop was down overall in Michigan due to a lower crop from early-season cold temperatures during bloom, and late warm weather in the fall, which did not help the Fuji and EverCrsip finish off with good color. 

Still, most retailers were showing sales increases, but the concern is how much of that was inflationary. 

“As input costs have risen on the supply side, also retailers have had cost increases, so resulting in higher retails, driving some of the sales increases,” Coates said. “Foodservice and institutional business rebounded this past year from some of the COVID impacts from the previous year.”

This year’s Michigan crop, which will run mid-August through the end of July 2023, looks to have the potential to be a large crop with some believing it could even come in as a record crop.

“The quality as of today looks outstanding, and looks to be a very clean crop at this time,” Coates said. “Most varieties will show an increase in production over the past few years.”

One of the main challenges, Coates shared, is the number of varieties available to customers now, though Honeycrsip continues to lead in market share, along with Gala.

“Many retailers are looking for varieties to trade customers to from Honeycrisp, since Honeycrisp is so competitive on the retail price point and margins are not always where they need them to be in the category,” Coates said. “Therefore, we see some of our emerging club varieties performing well and trending up. We see Rave growing quite a bit this year and beyond. Applewood Fresh is the exclusive Michigan supplier of this variety.”

SweeTango, an early-season variety, is also trending up, while Kanzi and EverCrisp volume continues to increase with new acreage ramping up in production.

Not only is Applewood Fresh Growers the leader in Michigan with the new emerging/branded varieties including Rave, SweeTango, Kiku, Kanzi, EverCrisp and Ambrosia, but it’s one of only two Michigan suppliers who represent the SnapDragon and RubyFrost from New York State.

“The Swindemans have started a new 160-acre farm in Northern Michigan this past year and will continue to plant over a five-year time period,” Coates said. “This will provide more Honeycrisp from a premier growing area, along with Rave that were planted last year.”

Many Michigan retailers like to highlight the local or regional aspect of the apples, and there’s been an increased interest in sustainability as well.

“Many retailers like the sustainability story, less food miles with Michigan apples than from Western fruit,” Coates said. “We feel our growing area and climate produce some of the best apples in the world and feel strongly that our flavor is superior. We do have a good opportunity with a large crop in Michigan and the Washington crop being down, so we will be able to provide many customers a good alternative to Washington apples for their needs.”