Armock says Jonagold apple is the company’s favorite variety
Armock says Jonagold apple is the company’s favorite variety
While he doesn’t want to discourage the purchase of other varieties, Don Armock, president and partner in Riveridge Produce Marketing, Inc., based in Sparta, MI, admitted that his personal favorite apple variety is Jonagold. “It’s the favorite of people in our packing plant too. I think that says a lot,” he said. The 2013 Jonagold crop in Michigan had an especially good flavor, he added.
Armock noted that the Michigan Apple Committee taste-tests over the last five years indicated consumers repeatedly rank Michigan-grown Jonagolds second only to the Michigan-grown Honeycrisp. “The results were not the same with Jonagolds or Honeycrisps grown in other locations.”
Riveridge sells Jonagold in a distinctive carton (euro or master) that works well in center-aisle or for end-cap displays. Riveridge promotional materials indicate, “Jonagold has a unique honey-tart flavor and crisp, juicy flesh. It’s an aromatic, good storing apple that is rated excellent for every use in the kitchen.”
The shipping season for Jonagolds has gone very well, he said. But Honeycrisp sales exceeded expectations.
Armock said that at the beginning of this shipping season, Riveridge expected to ship its record-high volume of Honeycrisp apples into January 2014. “We had great pack-out with a quality crop. Demand was so high that we were done by the end of November!” The fast movement was driven by retail customers advertising the variety to consumers and, as a result, enjoying “big dollar rings and good profit margins,” he said.
Michigan growers have many young plantings of Honeycrisp that will be reaching production maturity in coming years.
“We are excited about the good tonnage coming on,” Armock noted.
This year, Riveridge held samples of its Honeycrisp crop to test in storage trials to learn of the best way to handle the popular variety as its increased production allows an extension of the Honeycrisp shipping season. Riveridge is finding the best way “to keep the eating quality for an extended period.”
Honeycrisp has tended to lose its acidity in longer storage periods, “which takes away some of the flavor characteristics. It loses the richness of its acidity.” With new research, “we want to assure the ‘end of season’ taste” from storage apples “so consumers walk away with a good experience,” he added.
Armock said the Honeycrisp was released for production in 1991.
