UK retailers are preparing to stock the first British grown and bred pink apple variety; Flanders Pink®.
Developed by fruit grower and supplier AC Goatham & Son as a response to the popularity of Australian-bred Pink Lady®, the second most popular variety in the UK after Gala, Flanders Pink® is named after the company’s main Flanders Farm at Hoo in Kent, rather than the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium.
After three years of production across 25 sites, it is hoped that the new variety, described as ‘sweet, crisp and very juicy’ will also help support British Apples & Pears’ target to increase the proportion of home-grown apples consumed in the UK from 43 to 60 per cent.
Carol Ford, AC Goatham’s commercial director, said, “This is an exciting development for our team which has taken significant investment and collaboration to produce and we are delighted with the results – the very first commercially grown British pink-skinned apple.
“Flanders Pink® has scored highly in the all-important consumer taste tests as well as being suitable to grow in the UK’s damp climate. It also harvests and stores well – vital for the modern apple varieties so they reach consumers in the very best condition.”
AC Goatham currently supplies some 350 million apples a year, around a quarter of UK consumption.
Photo Caption: New varieties Flanders Pink is set to hit supermarket shelves
Photo source: AC Goatham & Son