Albert Heijn Adds 'Sprank' Apple To Its Fruit Assortment

Dutch retailer Albert Heijn has announced that it has rolled out a new apple variant under the brand, Sprank.

Over the past two years, the retailer collaborated with apple supplier Vogelaar Vredehof and fifteen of its regular apple growers in Betuwe, Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, Limburg, Utrecht and Flevoland to develop the new apple.

In autumn of this year, the growers harvested the first batch of these apples, which yielded around 400,000 kilograms of the fruit.

'A Robust Variety'

Kees Vogelaar, director of Vogelaar Vredehof said, “Sprank stands out because of its particularly good taste. It is a robust variety with stronger trees, so that the apples retain their crunch and taste."

Vogelaar added that the apple growers focused on biodiversity during the cultivation process by growing flowers around the orchards to attract bees and using insects to combat harmful pests.

The collaboration has enabled the retailer to offer a tasty product to consumers and ensured that Vogelaar Vredehof and the growers have controlled and guaranteed sales.

'Unique Taste'

The growers leave the apples on the trees for a slightly longer period to develop a unique taste.

The Sprank apple is juicy, crunchy and sweet with a little bit of acidity, the retailer said.

The apples, exclusive to Albert Heijn stores, and are available loose as well as in sustainable packaging.

Constantijn Ninck Blok, Fresh Director at Albert Heijn, said, “Customers increasingly prefer fresh and local products. We meet this need with the launch of Sprank.

“It also confirms the craftsmanship of our apple supplier and our local apple growers - with whom we have been working with for over 50 years.”