YAKIMA, WA - FirstFruits Marketing, a grower-owned collaborative apple marketing company and purveyor of the unique Sweetie™, early Fuji, and Opal® apple varieties, is gearing up for a successful season.

“Ralph Broetje of Broetje Orchards is an innovator in the industry and has traveled the world to find the best apple varieties,” Keith Mathews, CEO of FirstFruits Marketing of Washington, said in a press release. “The demand for our unique varieties continues to grow year after year and we’re excited to be able to offer them again to our customers.”

Representative of Broetje Orchards, who the company states is at the forefront of bringing new high-demand varieties to market, FirstFruits recently expanded its unique offerings with the planting of the Cosmic Crisp. This apple is a newly-developed hybrid from Washington State University to add to the company’s list.

After a “stellar 2014 season of growth and consumer build in purchase,” FirstFruits anticipates a strong 2015 round for its Opal® apple variety, which will be available in the beginning of November. It is the exclusive marketer for the variety, offering them in both organic and conventional, while expecting supplies to last through March, 2016.

FirstFruits’ early Fuji apple will also be available in conventional and organic options, slated to arrive by mid-September, while the Sweetie™ variety (a Braeburn and Royal Gala hybrid called Gala’s sweeter, crunchier cousin) is expected in stores in early September.

These unique varieties will be supported with:

• Point-of-sale materials
• Merchandising bins
• Social media content
• Produce manager education

FreshFruits will also have a comprehensive consumer campaign for Opal, which is planned for the winter. Those interested in these exclusive apples can contact the company’s East Coast Regional Marketer Dennis Jackson or West Coast Regional Marketer Tim Corkill.

FirstFruits Marketing