Are you going for a Pink Lady or an Elstar? This is why some apples are so expensive | Cooking & Eating

Apples are a popular fruit and are eaten all year round. Which apple do you go for when you are in the supermarket? According to pomologist (fruit expert, ed.) Marcel Tross, consumers mainly look at the color and shape of the apple; taste only counts for a little bit: ,,It has to look good and that is what is grown on: perfectly round, red-pink apples with a blush are in demand. A yellow apple like the formerly popular Golden Delicious is no longer fashionable.”

The apple varieties Pink Lady, Junami, Jazz and Kanzi are so-called ‘club varieties’, explains Tross. “These are new, patented varieties that are grown according to a club system: a limited number of growers are allowed to grow the apple and the apple is marketed by the licensee according to a predetermined marketing strategy.” In the case of the Pink Lady, think of the bright pink packaging and the pink sticker in the shape of a heart.

Such a club variety is bred for desirable characteristics that match the wishes of today’s consumers, says fruit and vegetable expert Frank van Vuure of Jimmy loves Food: ,,A bright red colour, fresh sweet taste, long shelf life, but also a crispy bite: nobody wants a mealy apple.”

According to Van Vuure, fruit farmers are not involved in the development of fruit: ,,That is a far too long and complicated process. Farmers buy existing fruit trees and buying a popular club variety has a major advantage: as a farmer you are a little more certain that your harvest will be taken.” Tross: ,,As an apple grower, you pay a little more per tree; an apple tree of a club variety is more expensive when purchased than an apple tree that you can grow freely.”

As a consumer, you also pay more for an apple in the store if it concerns a club variety. According to Van Vuure, this has two causes: “The development costs of a new apple variety are very high, it takes an average of five years before a new variety is developed.”

“As a consumer, you also pay for the marketing. A lot of money is allocated to keep the demand for the fruit high. A strong brand ensures repeat purchases: do you like the apples? Then you buy them again next time.”

According to pomologist Tross, new apple varieties are often temporarily popular, but the demand for these apples decreases after a few years: ,,The Pink Lady is a cross between the apple varieties Lady Williams and Golden Delicious. These apples are very popular now, but in ten years they will no longer be in the shops, then a new hybrid will be more popular.”

Van Vuure: ,,If you look at the apples from twenty years ago and now, the differences are enormous. A good Dutch apple in July was unthinkable at the time. Now you have the Natyra in the middle of summer; extremely tasty, suitable for organic cultivation, long shelf life and ‘normal’ from the Netherlands. This new apple, which scores highly in so many areas and is in line with what the consumer wants, could just be the new Pink Lady in ten years’ time. ”

Which apple is the best to buy as a consumer? Tross advises to go for Dutch apples: ,,Elstar is always good. If you still want to go for a new apple variety, choose Junami or Kanzi. I would leave apples that have to come to our country overseas.”

Van Vuure agrees: ,,I think there are no tastier apples for sale in the autumn and winter than our own, so go for a tasty Dutch apple such as the Elstar, Natyra or Santana, the latter is hypoallergenic and you can even eat if you have an apple allergy.”

How much fruit does a child need? Parents of Nu explains why children need fruit (and vegetables!) and how much.