Australasian fruit company Freshmax has introduced its first exclusive apple variety in the international marketplace, with the Mahana Red variety shipped to the U.S. East and West Coasts.

The company has worked with its partner Earthsource for more than 12 months to ensure the export program runs smoothly, with a marketing strategy involving point of sale materials, on-pack messaging, public relations and social media.

The apples are grown in New Zealand's Nelson and Hawke's Bay regions, with a crisp-juicy texture and a sweet-tart taste. The company highlighted the variety had achieved a premium domestically due to its popularity with consumers.

"Freshmax are constantly pushing to develop new and exclusive varieties which deliver for both our customers and consumers alike," said Freshmax international general manager Simon Gillet.

"We feel that the Mahana Red is a great fit for the North American market and expect it to succeed as a new variety."

The volumes are set to be small this year but the company expects growth in the future, with the variety's availability from June to November each year.

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