Kissabel continues to grow: success in Europe and a new season underway in the Southern Hemisphere 

Kissabel apples are set to return to the Southern Hemisphere, supported by volume growth and numerous brand awareness initiatives. This marks a new chapter in the global development of the brand and its innovative range of coloured-flesh apples, spanning pink to deep red.  

“The European campaign delivered excellent results in terms of both quality and quantity, and generated ever-increasing consumer interest,” said Emmanuel de Lapparent, manager of the IFORED program. 

The executive said that thanks to high-profile partners, the path for this transition has been thoroughly paved by initial commercial phases and trial volumes. 

Southern Hemisphere: new harvest and brand development activities underway 

Kissabel’s 2025 season now continues with the Southern Hemisphere harvest, with partners in Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and New Zealand. 

In Australia, where the venture is most advanced, Montague Farms expects a commercial window extending from March to August, focusing on red-skinned and red-fleshed varieties. Promotional activities include participation in consumer events with tastings, tie-ups with local venues and restaurants to create dedicated dishes, in-store sampling, and harnessing creator output on social media. 

Marketing is still in its early stages, but the focus is on building brand awareness. 

“Our goal is to establish Kissabel as the ultimate ‘foodie’ apple, the one consumers look for in their local supermarket,” explained Michelle Hau, Marketing Manager at Montague Farms. “We are focusing heavily on in-store tastings, partnerships with the catering world, and social content that highlights the surprising red flesh.” 

Kissabel is also making progress in Latin America, through the work of partners Moño Azul in Argentina and Unifrutti in Chile.

The Chilean partner, which focuses on red-fleshed and red-skinned varieties, is reporting volumes from commercial orchards this year. The objective is to continue consolidating the development of the most suitable varieties and progressively expand the acreage dedicated to Kissabel. 

“We are committed to marketing efforts to further raise brand awareness in our target markets, such as Brazil, which remains a priority,” said Cristian Matte, Commercial Director at Unifrutti Chile. 

In South Africa, the Dutoit Group is leading a dynamic campaign to introduce Kissabel to a wider audience, showcasing its distinctive red flesh and positioning it as a bold, innovative addition to the fruit category. 

Designed to convert curiosity into trial through digital and in-store touchpoints, the campaign reinforces Kissabel as a true stand-out. As a key partner in the global IFORED program, Dutoit is playing an important role in developing the variety locally. 

“We are moving forward with the test stage and are now able to apply commercial orchard practices to the concept orchards we are working on,” says Willie Kotze, Technical Manager at Dutoit. “We have seen encouraging results and are preparing for commercial orchard rollout from 2027, with strong potential for both the local and export markets.”  

Trials are also currently underway in New Zealand with partner Yummy Fruit. 

A record season in Europe 

According to IFORED Consortium data, Kissabel volumes are up by 25 percent in 2025, with the brand enjoying good price positioning, high quality, and increasing consumer engagement in Europe. This, said the company, was further bolstered by excellent pack out and intensive social media activity. 

Among IFORED’s European partners, Red Apple Germany notched up an outstanding season, with a record harvest and very high quality levels, supported by high-impact promotional and in-store initiatives. 

In the United Kingdom, Worldwide Fruit also reported higher volumes and excellent product quality, implemented a marketing strategy increasingly geared towards digital channels and working with creators, and trials continue to increase volumes and extend the marketing window.

France also saw a strong season for Mesfruits and Blue Whale, with rising volumes.  

In Switzerland, Fenaco successfully marketed Kissabel through its well-established partnerships and solutions in the gastronomy and processing industries. 

Results were particularly positive in Italy, where the NovaMela Consortium (Melinda, VIP, Rivoira, La Trentina, and VOG) recorded an excellent campaign in terms of quality and sales performance. 

 *All images courtesy of IFORED

Related stories

Kissabel apples advance toward commercial volumes in the Southern Hemisphere