Envy and Candine boost sales of Blue Whale in Spain
In an atypical campaign marked by the consequences of the heatwave, Envy and Candine have boosted the sales of Blue Whale in Spain. After these results, the leading French cooperative predicts larger volumes sold for both varieties during the 2023-2024 season.
With the campaign still underway, Envy has already announced that it has tripled sales in comparison to last year. “Envy is a crunchy and sweet apple, which is very consistent in terms of its taste. It is something that Spanish consumers particularly value. That is why it is now one of the favourite apples” outlined Marc Peyres, commercial director at Blue Whale. “Undoubtedly, the sales of Envy in Spain have exceeded all our expectations” acknowledged Peyres.
In turn, Candine stood out for its sweet taste and its premium profile in markets around the world. Its success has been especially resounding in Asia. Asian countries, led by China, have multiplied purchases of this variety sixfold during this campaign. With production predicted to increase from 3,500 to 8,000 tonnes next season, the 2023-24 campaign looks highly dynamic for Candine. “The Spanish market will remain essential for Candine. We have great expectations for Spain with this variety over the upcoming campaigns” Peyres anticipated.
An atypical campaign
The current campaign has been marked by the heatwaves suffered in France last summer. The drought reduced volumes, calibres, and the length of seasons for certain varieties. These setbacks affected early apple varieties such as Fuji and Royal Gala to a greater extent. Later varieties such as Pink Lady and Joya were barely affected. At the same time, while southern countries saw their volumes drop, large production levels were recorded in the north. “The result was markets in the north under pressure while in the south everything was very smooth” highlighted Peyres.
Blue Whale ® around the world
Blue Whale ® was created from the grouping of the producers of the Garonne riverbank, in the southeast of France. With over 50 years of history, the success of the cooperative has encouraged other French apple producers in the southeast, centre and Alps regions to join the group. At present, Blue Whale ® produces 240,000 tonnes of apples in an area of over 5,500 hectares. Its production reaches 72 countries through a portfolio of over 400 clients, representing an annual turnover of 300 million Euros.
