“We want to introduce more Candine volume in the Spanish market”

Candine is a sweet apple, with a taste reminiscent of exotic fruits, with potential for a new group of consumers.

Interview with Marc Peyres, Comercial director of Blue Whale 

By:  Bárbara Aguayo Martínez, agri-food journalist/ @BarbaraAguayoM3

What are the new varieties that Blue whale is introducing this year?

We are in the process of increasing volumes of two promising varieties: Candine for apples and Fred for pears. The test phases on our markets are conclusive:  Candine is appreciated for its bicolor aspect and its refreshing sweet and juicy taste. Fred is a very interesting pear with a rather firm flesh and a tasty taste.

How the apple campaign has been in this first half of the season? Which markets have been targeted?

An atypical season marked by the consequences of the heat wave, notably on certain varieties. It is also an atypical season in terms of total volume and length of season (especially royal gala but also with a reduction in size and length of season (chanteclaire, fuji, grey Canada, …)

The new gala season will start in July. Until then, we still have to finish pink lady and joya for which the quantities were less affected by the climatic problems (later varieties).

The season has been marked by two important things for us: the development of the sales of ENVY which has now found its place on Spanish and French markets.

Secondly, the very good feedback on the taste quality of Candine which allows us to look forward to next year with greater volumes to develop the market.

This year, we have had confirmation in the Far East of the total acceptance of the Candine variety, whose sales have increased sixfold with a premium price positioning, at the level of the best varieties in the area. This gives hope for the development of this variety. We can also note the rise in power of some varieties such as Coeur de reine in France (in almost all stores

What is Blue whale’s commitment in terms of environmental care and sustainability?

Blue Whale is involved in several research programs in partnership with public and private organizations to imagine a sustainable production method from a technical, economic and environmental point of view. We can already mention the first results of the Green GO project. This is a project carried out with Pink Lady and the French National Apple and Pear Association to measure the carbon impact of the apple industry, from the orchard to the consumer From this Life Cycle Analysis, which has been delivered in January 2023, an action plan will be developed to improve our producer-stocker-shipper level. We are also testing new technologies. We will share more details on the progress of our work in the coming months.

Climate change, has affected the quality of apples in France in recent years?

The climate has been changing for several years. We are particularly affected on our sector. We are carefully observing the consequences.

It is the acceleration of climate change that marks us the most, and the extreme events that are linked. It is visible, for example, in the episodes of drought that are intensifying and accelerating. In France, we had some rather favorable years and then the last 2 years more complicated.

The quality has been more impacted by the lack of water.

 How do you foresee the next apple harvest in terms of quality and volume compared to last year?

It is still early to say. We are in the flowering period with very good conditions for the return to flower The experience of the last seasons shows that until the last apple is harvested, anything can happen.

There are so many possible hazards in the spring and summer that we cannot know yet if the harvest will be good.