Hudson River Fruit excited for new apple season
A mild spring devoid of major weather events or freezes has set the stage for an outstanding 2021 apple crop at Hudson River Fruit Distributors.
“It should be a beautiful crop this year, and we are excited for the new season,” said Alisha Albinder, operations manager and a member of the fourth generation at the family-owned company, based in Milton, NY.
Albinder said that harvest would begin in late-August with the Paula Red and Ginger Gold varieties, followed by Galas, McIntosh and the rest of their lineup. In all, Hudson River Fruit grows and ships 21 different apple varieties.
While business remained strong during the pandemic year, Albinder said she and other company officials are looking forward to resuming normal operations and seeing customers once again after a year-plus hiatus.
Hudson River’s main brand is “Red Chief” and it markets its smaller apples under the “Lil Chief” brand. Albinder said “Lil Chief” is undergoing a packaging refresh this summer to give the bags a more sophisticated look. “Lil Chief” is geared toward kids and is especially popular during the back-to-school period.
Top photo: An aerial shot of the Hudson River Fruit Distributors facility in the picturesque Hudson Valley of New York.
