Crunch Time Apple Growers’ popular RubyFrost and SnapDragon apples are now at supermarkets and Wal-Marts across the country. Created by Cornell University, they’re designed to put the crunch on plain old, flat-tasting red winter eating apples.

The apples are accompanied by an extensive multifaceted marketing campaign, reports Mark Russell, RubyFrost grower and marketing director. Creating increased consumer awareness and demand at the store level is the driving force behind the marketing plan. “We can activate a broad range of conventional and digital tools, including coupons and in-store sampling, as well as high-graphic displays and point-of-sale materials.”

What’s in the crunch
RubyFrost is known for its ruby-red color plus the sweet and tart flavors that modern crunch apple lovers demand. SnapDragon was created using old-fashioned crossbreeding, with the popular Honeycrisp as one of its parents, and is marketed as the apple with the “monster crunch.”

Crunch Time’s 145 apple growers located in New York state began planting RubyFrost orchards in 2011. The first RubyFrosts arrived in supermarkets in 2013. Production has been increasing rapidly from year to year as new orchards mature and bear more fruit.

Robin Leous, Crunch Time’s business manager, also reports that nationwide consumer response to SnapDragon has been overwhelming. The first SnapDragon orchards were planted in 2011, and the first apples arrived in supermarkets in 2013. Plans are in place to increase total acres over the next three years to better satisfy consumer demand. As trees mature, more fruit will be available to satisfy increasing demand.

For more details, visit crunchtimeapplegrowers.