SOLUNA™, the brand new apple brand coming to market
On 2 November 2022, TopStar introduced the new apple brand Soluna™ to the world during a launch cocktail at Asia Fruit Logistica. Stakeholders were invited to be part of the Soluna™ story and witness the birth of a new apple category of dark burgundy-coloured apples to be managed and marketed globally.
The global rollout of this brand has commenced and in 2023 this extraordinary apple was on the shelf in Asia and the Middle East for the first time and it was a resounding success. Consumers loved Soluna™ apples and the new brand concept. The apple is a stunner, but good looks and great taste are only a small part of the Soluna™ story. Soluna™ has a striking dark-burgundy skin with a creamy yet crisp flesh and is very slow to turn brown. The explosive taste balances sweetness and acidity beautifully. The brand story promises consumers something special and healthy yet authentic. An everyday indulgence that makes them feel good and is good for them. Consumers are looking for SOMETHING REAL, and that something is Soluna™.
2023 the first year of sales
In 2023 the Soluna™ branded apple was sold for the first time via WA Farm Direct, the exclusive Australian licensed exporter in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Dubai. Consumers loved the brand and export programs exceeded expectations by 15 %. Soluna™ has outperformed Australian export activities, with exports already representing 30% of the total Australian apple exports, while ANABP 01 is still only 2.5% of the total apple planting in Australia with very young orchards. Fruit sales were supported by substantial marketing efforts, which included tv campaigns, online sales, a branded food truck and bus etc. with very prominent point of sale material in stores, regular in-store tastings and beautiful eye-catching packaging.
Sean Engelbrecht, National Development Manager at WA Farm Direct comments “ Our first year with the Soluna™ brand on the market, could not have gone better. The brand was accepted by all markets and we managed to increase sales in the first year! We look forward to the new season!”
World-wide testing and Consumer Research
A Technical Group, is responsible for the world-wide testing of the variety and to share information and technical breakthroughs from all global experiences, during the evaluation period. 2023 was also the year that TopStar extended its test blocks from Europe to the rest of their network. This was an opportunity for producers in the rest of the world to discover the variety, either during the successful orchard tour held in Australia in March, or in their own orchards, thanks to the expansion of test blocks on their farms. Globally, TopStar has established 62 test sites in 16 countries and by 2025, with additional testing developments, the ANABP 01 research program will cover a network of nearly 115 test sites in 25 different locations internationally. In Europe the variety is being tested in four regions namely: Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland. In the rest of the world, it is being tested in Brazil, Canada, the USA, South Africa, Mexico, Chile and Japan. Currently, it is being introduced in India, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Argentina, Uruguay and China later. The first European research results delivered excellent feedback on the taste as well as on the appearance of the fruit. American partners also received positive feedback from fruit samples that were distributed. Research and consumer tests will be ongoing this year.
