Australian Bravo™ Apples Going Global

In 1992, John Cripps, crossed two apple varieties – Cripps Red and Royal Gala – which bore anumber of seedlings. Over the next twenty years, the Department of Primary Industries andRegional Development – Agriculture and Food, as part of the Australian National Apple BreedingProgram, developed and further tested these apple trees and their fruit. It was quite apparentthrough this time that the program had something like no other apple, in the fruit of ANABP 01variety from which we get the Bravo™ branded apple.
Bravo™ apples have a distinct sweetness, are crisp and crunchy, and have a striking dark burgundy colour like no other apple in the Australian market. Bravo™ has been embraced by growers, retailers and consumers alike, as an exciting new choice for apple lovers.
In readiness for the coming season, Fruit West Co-operative Ltd has stepped up by several notches its commercialisation of the Western Australian bred and Western Australian owned apple billed as being Like No Other™.
Following months of planning, including a successful promotion of Australian grown Bravo™ apples at the recent Asian Fruit Logistica Trade Show, Fruit West in conjunction with WA Farm Direct Pty Ltd, is poised to introduce the distinctive apple to the UK market.
Export market initiatives compliment the work Fruit West is continuing to do around the country as more growers turn to the variety as a potential game changer in an industry that has faced more than its fair share of challenges in recent years.
“With two significant grants from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Agricultural Sciences Research and Development Fund and a modest contribution from Horticulture Innovation Australia, we have been able to step-up our plans to take Australian grown Bravo™ apples to the world on behalf of growers, by appointing WA Farm Direct as our Bravo™ marketing champion for the next 3 years, providing important brand recognition and stability” said Fruit West Chairman and Newlands apple grower, Ben Darbyshire.
Ms Jenny Mercer, Managing Director of WA Farm Direct will continue to lead WA Farm Direct’s marketing efforts, assisted by the recently appointed Bravo™ Apple National Development Manager Colin Griffin.
“The Board is delighted to be working with a marketer with a genuine understanding of what Fruit West is looking to achieve for growers of apples branded as Bravo™. A critical issue is making sure consumers have a more than satisfactory eating experience every time they bite into a Bravo™. That way we maximise our ability to reward growers for a quality product and make their businesses sustainable, which is very difficult in Australia’s high cost environment,” said Dr Darbyshire.
Jenny Mercer said, “My team are very honoured by the appointment and are deeply respectful of the opportunity to work with, and for, the growers of the Bravo™ branded apple. I think the Australian community is starting to understand how hard it is for our orchardists, most of whom are family owned and operated, to compete against countries with much lower cost of production.
“Now for the first time in decades, Australia has an opportunity to export to the world without competing against an identical product grown in countries with much lower cost structures. We’re pleased to have the opportunity to work with Fruit West on a shared vision and goal of rewarding growers for their considerable investment in what has the potential to be a truly unique Australian Bravo™ apple.”
“Other recent board decisions that will deliver grower benefits included commissioning of Edith Cowan University School of Medical and Health Sciences to undertake clinical trials to build on existing knowledge of the health benefits of eating Bravo™ apples and engaging an experienced extension officer to compile material for a Good Practice Guide for Growers of ANABP 01, with more announcements to come” concluded Dr Darbyshire.