Kissabel® — the apple known for its naturally pink-to-red flesh — is finding firm footing below the equator. After earning its spot in fruit aisles across Europe and North America, the next push is taking shape across Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand. More harvests, fresh orchard trials and local buzz are quietly setting the stage for bigger volumes ahead.
In Australia, the progress stands out. Montague Farms growers have already picked multiple Kissabel® types this season — from yellow-skinned fruit that hides a rosy centre to vivid red-on-red varieties that turn heads at first slice. Years of patient testing have helped Montague lock in not just steady yields but the bright flesh colour that sets Kissabel® apart.
Volumes in stores are still on the smaller side for now, but the groundwork is clear. These apples have popped up on national breakfast TV, pulled crowds at Melbourne’s big Flower & Garden Show and sparked chatter among chefs and food influencers. The idea? Catch the eye of younger shoppers who love posting food finds online — then back that excitement with more supply as new trees mature.
South America’s story is moving at a pace that fits each grower. In Argentina, Moño Azul is all in on red-flesh trees, watching which ones handle local conditions best. They want proof of good taste and shelf life before filling more rows with young trees. For now, smaller harvests are landing in local stores, just enough to build a name and test how shoppers respond.
Chile’s Unifrutti is steering a similar course. A handful of trial trees are in the ground, focusing again on those eye-catching red-flesh apples. This season, some first samples are headed to Brazil — an early sign of what could come if buyers like what they see and taste.
Further south, Dutoit Group in South Africa is beginning to see returns from early planting. Semi-commercial orchard blocks went in back in 2023, and the first proper pick wrapped up not long ago. Growers say colour came through strong, especially in warm areas, with texture improving nicely as fruit ripens fully. Local buyers like what they’ve seen so far. Now, Dutoit plans to show Kissabel® off to local media, food influencers and supermarket teams — testing the waters before ramping up.
New Zealand’s Yummy Fruit, meanwhile, is keeping a close watch on trees scattered across orchard regions with different climates. For now, the aim is clear: pinpoint the strongest performers before planting at scale or sending fruit out in big volumes.
All these steps link back to the IFORED programme — a global partnership of 14 big producers and marketers. There’s no genetic shortcut here. Kissabel® comes from years of traditional breeding and orchard know-how, giving shoppers a splash of colour inside a fruit they thought they knew by heart.
Piece by piece, the Southern Hemisphere is building a steady counter-season supply. Growers gather insight. Shoppers get curious. Young orchards settle in. If all goes to plan, Kissabel® won’t just be an occasional novelty but a seasonal pick for anyone wanting an apple that surprises the moment it’s cut open.
