Our local foodbowl is famous for its apples – and now there’s another entrant into the fruit market.
Montague, the family-owned fresh produce company based in Narre Warren North, has this week launched its new crop of Envy apples.
Envy apples feature a dense flesh that is somewhat sweeter than other apples.
They are naturally juicy and low in acidity and maintain a bright white flesh well after being sliced, making it a favourite for cheese boards, cooking and snacking.
The Envy apple is a naturally occurring cross between a Braeburn and a Royal Gala and is a sister variety to another of Montague’s famous products, the Jazz apple.
Montague managing director Scott Montague said the company was excited that Envy season had arrived.
“It’s such a great tasting, sweet apple,” he said.
The 2020 Envy crop will deliver over 1.5 million kilograms of fruit to Australian consumers.
Envy apples will be available to Australian consumers starting in May 2020 and will be available in retail stores from May till September.
This fruit will be drawn from orchards across the country from Stanthorpe in Queensland to Manjiumup in Western Australia and the Huon Valley in Tasmania, Batlow NSW and Yarra Valley, Victoria and other exceptional growing environments in between.
The 2020 growing season has provided the usual blend of blessings and challenges for Australian growers.
A cold wet spring followed by some extreme high temperatures in December meant the first part of the growing season was a real challenge.
As a result of these conditions, a small percentage of the overall 2020 Envy crop is showing some minor brown to golden marking on the skin. This marking is called russet, a naturally occurring discolouration which appears on the skin of the apples. The skin discolouration does not change the flavour or nutrient value of the fruit.
From mid January however the weather conditions changed dramatically with mild temperatures and good autumn rainfall providing the perfect conditions for growing amazing fruit with bright red stripes and amazing sweet flavour.
The final result, is a crop of full flavoured fruit, loaded with juice and characterised by bright red stripes in the foreground over a cream background with the occasional piece still exhibiting some of the russet marks that were a legacy of the early season.
