Proprietary Variety Management, Yakima, Wash., has reached an agreement with Fresh Forward, a plant breeder and marketing company in Huissen, The Netherlands, to become the exclusive U.S. propagation and commercialization manager for WUR200 cv, the apple branded as Magic Star, according to a release.
“We have been monitoring Magic Star since 2019, and recently harvested the first crop from our test orchard in the Yakima Valley,” Kevin Brandt, chief operating officer of Proprietary Variety Management, said in a release.
“We were extremely pleased to see how well the cultivar performed in Washington State,” he continued. “The fruit exhibited exceptional flavor and outstanding fruit finish. Of particular interest to PVM are the natural immunities WUR200 cv possesses, as we work to seek out new varieties that are friendly for the grower.”
Magic Star is a cross between the Elise apple and an unnamed scab-resistant cultivar, the release said. It produces a dark red, blushed apple with the scab-resistant qualities of its parent, as well as little susceptibility to mildew.
Magic Star is known to hold very well in storage and has a long shelf life, says Proprietary Variety Management. The apple, which has been marketed in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and England for three seasons, receives high marks for taste and consumer appeal, the release said.
“We are excited to start up the partnership with PVM to bring Magic Star to the USA — the Magic is coming,” said Stephan Geerlings, marketing manager of apples at Fresh Forward.