The World’s Best Apple
Released in 1991, the Honeycrisp has gained dominance as the premium apple brand, easily earning it the moniker “Moneycrisp.”
When it comes to the U.S. apple market, one variety has taken the industry by storm, establishing itself as a truly strategic success story: the Honeycrisp apple. With its exceptional taste, premium pricing, and rapidly growing market presence, the Honeycrisp has become America's most successful apple brand.
Honeycrisp by the numbers
Let’s first crunch the numbers:
In 2018, Honeycrisp apples accounted for an impressive 19% of U.S. apple sales, second only to Gala apples at 23%. Remarkable considering that just five years earlier, Honeycrisp apples made up only 6-7% of apple sales
In 2019, the average retail price for Honeycrisp apples was $2.19 per pound, nearly double the price of Gala apples at $1.16 per pound.
A 2020 study found that Honeycrisp apples generated the highest retail sales dollars per store per week among all apple varieties, at $1,818. This figure is almost double that of the second-highest variety, Gala apples, at $1,018 per store per week.
A 2021 study found that Honeycrisp accounted for 29% of apple category dollars but only 21% of the pounds, demonstrating continued market dominance
Brand breakdown
Developed at the University of Minnesota's apple breeding program in the 1960s and 1970s, the Honeycrisp was a result of cross-pollination between the Macoun and Honeygold varieties. Released in 1991, it would go on to take the fruit section by storm. Let’s examine the strategic decisions that propelled this brand to apple authority:
Emotion-Driven Branding: Unlike “gala” the name “Honeycrisp” evokes the senses in a two-syllable story. Promising both sweet and crunchy, your palette pouts for a purchase. One of the first apples to be marketed by brand vs. variety, the name, texture, and taste translated into a cult-like following.
Innovative Breeding: Researchers focused on creating an apple that would stand out in terms of taste, texture, and storage capabilities. The result was an apple with a unique balance of sweetness and acidity, along with a distinctive crisp texture that set it apart from other varieties. An apple that continues to taste fresh long after purchase is a new echelon in enjoyment.
Premium Positioning & Pricing: The Honeycrisp was positioned as a premium apple variety, often priced higher than other apples. This strategy leveraged its unique qualities to justify a higher price point, which consumers were willing to pay for its superior taste and texture.
Controlled Growth: The University of Minnesota initially controlled the distribution of Honeycrisp trees, ensuring that the quality and supply of the apples were maintained. This helped in building a consistent brand image cultivated on quality. Initially limiting access drove greater demand.
Partner Profitability: Despite the higher costs of growing Honeycrisps (due to susceptibility to diseases and pests), partner orchards invested in growing the apples due to their popularity and higher return on investment. This has encouraged many growers to rip out less profitable varieties and replace them with the Moneycrisp.
The Honeycrisp apple's success is a testament to strategic breeding, effective marketing, and efficient supply management, all of which combined to create a strong brand and a loyal consumer base for this exceptional apple variety. Now I’ve gotta go cut up some Honeycrisps for my kids - unfortunately but also appropriately, it’s the only apple suitable for their acclaimed appetites.
