Sunflare apple targets storage strength, grower returns

A new apple variety from Washington State University (WSU) aims to strengthen year-round supply and improve grower returns in the Evergreen State’s premium apple segment. Released as WA 64 in 2023, the Sunflare, a Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink hybrid, has an auspicious path ahead.

WSU pomaceous fruit breeder Kate Evans told FreshFruitPortal.com that the Sunflare has undergone extensive evaluation, with a focus on long-term storage performance and consistent quality.

“One of the things that we particularly like is that it does have a distinct appearance—a yellow background with a pink blush. So it's something we think consumers will recognize and easily go back to in this sort of crowded world of very red apples,” Evans said.

Sunflare: Built for the long haul

WSU’s breeding program has prioritized storage to support Washington’s year-round shipping model, ensuring fruit quality holds throughout extended marketing windows.

“Sunflare has excellent shelf life and storability, but it is also able to give the consumer a great eating experience for 12 months of the year,” Evans added. “With a crop the size of Washington’s, we want to be able to have good quality fruit throughout the year for the consumer.”

The expert said the variety shows no anticipated issues with long-term storage or quality degradation as volumes scale, positioning it as a reliable option for both domestic and export programs.

“I think that apples that are coming out of this breeding program are being more thoroughly assessed than some other variety releases that I've seen over recent years. We have no worries about its longevity in terms of its robustness and storability,” the breeder stressed.

Crunching the numbers

Beyond storage, Sunflare targets improved orchard-to-market efficiency, particularly compared with legacy premium varieties, such as the Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink.

Evans explained that Honeycrisp growers usually struggle to achieve high packout, while Cripps Pink producers struggle in the late-season harvest, which may be “a little bit too late in the season for many of our growers.” 

“Sunflare is picking ahead of that. So we're not having to worry about that into the November harvest,” she explained.

Bright commercialization prospects aside, the Sunflare apple is not only garnering the interest of growers. WSU Director of the Office of Commercialization Jeremy Tamsen notes that a campus tasting event drew more than 400 participants, with additional attendees waiting in line. 

WSU turned to the public to find a memorable, consumer-friendly name for the WA 64 in a 2024 contest. Out of 17,000 entries the institution received in two weeks, Sunflare emerged as the winning entry, chosen for its ability to capture the variety’s distinctive appearance and visual appeal.

“People are very interested in what WSU is doing with apples following the Cosmic Crisp release and success. And so it's really nice to have that public engagement in fruit research,” Tamsen said.

Sunflare trees are now available for planting, with the first commercial volumes expected around 2029.

*All images courtesy of WSU.

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