A new apple variety developed in the United States has made its South African debut, with growers in the Western Cape bringing the country’s first Cosmic Crisp crop to market.
South African apple shoppers have a new variety to look out for, and it has been grown right here in the Western Cape.
The first South African harvest of Cosmic Crisp apples is now available exclusively at selected Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores nationwide, marking the local arrival of a variety that has rapidly gained traction in international markets.
Cosmic Crisp was developed by Washington State University in the United States from a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp. Following the first South African plantings in 2022, growers in Grabouw and Ceres in the Western Cape have now produced the inaugural local crop.
For South African apple growers, the arrival of a new variety is more than a change to the fruit aisle. It represents another opportunity to respond to changing consumer tastes while adding diversity to the country’s established apple industry.
The apple gets its unusual name from its appearance. Its deep-red skin is covered with pale lenticels, or pores, which give the fruit a distinctive pattern resembling stars against a night sky.
But it is what happens after the apple is cut that sets Cosmic Crisp apart.
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The variety is known for its ability to resist browning, while retaining its crisp texture during storage. That makes it suited to everything from lunchboxes and prepared salads to snacking, baking, cooking and juicing.
According to Quintin Paladin, general manager of Freshmark, Checkers’ fruit and vegetable procurement and distribution arm, the variety caught the retailer’s attention after being tasted in the US.
“Red and blush apples account for around 60% of our apple sales, making them a clear favourite among our customers,” says Paladin.
He says Cosmic Crisp combines characteristics familiar to South African consumers, including sweetness, juiciness and crispness, with its ability to remain fresher for longer after being cut.
The variety is part of Checkers’ growing range of exclusive fruit offerings, which includes Pink Lemons, Finger Limes, The Alizza Fruit and ONIX citrus.
For the growers producing Cosmic Crisp locally, however, the headline is perhaps a simpler one: a fruit developed on the other side of the world is now being grown and harvested in South Africa.
The first plantings went into the ground in 2022. Four years later, the inaugural South African crop has reached consumers.
And for apple lovers, that means there is a new variety to put to the taste test.
Cosmic Crisp is currently available exclusively at selected Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores nationwide, while stocks last.
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