Author: Valentina Ferraro

2024 Harvest of JOYA by Blue Whale: 9,300 tonnes

The JOYA apple has become the star of the second half of the season. Grown in our four production areas (Southwest, Southeast, Alps, and Loire Valley), it delights consumers from late February through August.

✅ Firm and crunchy, with beautiful natural coloring.

✅ Refreshing and rich in vitamin C—perfect for an energy boost.

✅ Excellent shelf life, ensuring optimal freshness.

Every year, autumn marks a key step in orchard preparation. Our teams visit nurseries to carefully select apple and pear trees that will be planted during winter.

This season, nearly 300,000 trees will be planted, either to renew aging plots or to establish new orchards.

Nursery visits are also an opportunity to evaluate new rootstocks and production methods that could enhance our orchard potential. These innovations lead to improved pack-out rates and increased crop value.

Observation: The pear is appreciated for its sweetness and indulgence. However, the buying experience can sometimes be disappointing. The main reason? A lack of knowledge about selection criteria at the point of sale and ripening times at home.

To address this challenge, Blue Whale is innovating with a special ripeness guide designed specifically for pear consumers 💡.

By supporting consumers in their purchasing decisions, Blue Whale aims to make pears more accessible and to maximize the value of the fruit section.

An innovative marketing approach that creates value for both producers and consumers…

We were committed to highlighting the links in our value chain, from the orchard to the consumers.

All united in a shared commitment to promoting a high-performing arboriculture, technically, economically, and environmentally.
The video is here

The RKD Gala is an early variety. It’s the first apple of the season from Blue Whale producers.

The first shipments in trays started on 07/22, closely followed by the South-West producers of the Stanor station… Stay tuned 😉