The 2025 harvest season has delivered a landmark achievement for Flash Gala apples, with a record 1 478 454 cartons packed – the highest volume since the brand’s commercial launch. This represents a 41% increase compared to the previous season.
Calla du Toit, procurement manager at Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing and chair of the BigBucks Growers’ Association, said this was the biggest Flash Gala crop they have seen.
He said the increase was due to orchards reaching maturity, exceptional harvests in key production areas, and the absence of adverse weather conditions.
Quality improvements through maturity
According to Angelique Pretorius, technical manager of Kromco of Flash Gala, the trademarked brand of BigBucks apples, this year’s crop set new benchmarks for quality, colour, and consistency.
“We saw a dramatic improvement in eating quality this year, largely because the trees are maturing. When the trees were young, they were overly vigorous, especially when planted on strong rootstocks. This resulted in quality issues, which were not unique to BigBucks. Now that canopies have settled and we’re shifting from vegetative to reproductive growth, it means better and more consistent fruit quality,” she said.
Pretorius highlighted that BigBucks is a Gala variety that colours well, is easy to farm, and has significant potential for continued quality improvements when guided by science-based practices.
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Growth and profit potential
Louis du Toit, marketing manager at Dutoit Agri, said their clients were impressed with the fruit, and it sold exceptionally well.
“Overall, it was certainly an above-average season. That said, we must diversify our markets. There’s significant potential in the Middle East, Bangladesh, and the Far East. We also need to focus on improving storability to extend our sales window,” Du Toit said.
According to him, Flash Gala has become increasingly profitable, with returns improving year after year as prices rise faster than production costs and consistently exceed expectations.
He noted that the record harvest is already encouraging further investment, with a second wave of plantings expected within two to three years, especially in areas where growers have achieved strong results.
Reflecting on the milestone, Calla du Toit highlighted collective effort. “We have always believed in the variety and the brand, even though there were challenges, but we could never have dreamed about this type of demand and prices. This has been a team victory – from production to packing to export. If we keep working together and improving quality, there’s still enormous potential for growth and return on investment.”
He emphasised that innovation has been just as critical to the brand’s success, pointing to the involvement of many young horticulturists and technical experts and stressing that continuous innovation is essential to remain competitive in global markets.
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