Michigan apple business updates

BelleHarvest boosts capacity

Belding, Mich.-based BelleHarvest Sales Inc. added an apple cider line last year and is now putting in additional equipment to increase capacity, said Nick Teriaca, vice president of sales and marketing.

The company has added several flavors and blends, including salt-and-caramel and pumpkin spice flavors and a gala blend.

“We started it last year in a small way, but we’re really ramping up production this year and promoting it aggressively,” Teriaca said.

Flavors and variety blends are available in a half-gallon size, and blends come in gallons and half gallons.

Drape Net system on the rise

Drape Net, the 18-year-old Australian company that makes tight-weave protective netting for apple trees and other fruit trees, is seeing an increase in sales of its “bullhorn” trellis system, said Jeff Whitehall, North American sales manager.

The bullhorn trellis system enables protective netting to be rolled up onto the trellis when the harvest is over in the fall and be easily deployed again with fruit set in the spring. Customers have reported labor savings of up to 30%, he said.

The netting can protect apple trees from codling moths, sunburn, wind, hail and birds, Whitehall said.

“The benefits to organic apple growers are huge,” he added.

Some organic apple growers may be experiencing 20% to 40% codling moth damage, he said. Drape Net can cut that figure to 1% or 1.5%.

The system can pay for itself by helping ensure a better packout, Whitehall said.

North Bay adds controlled storage

Traverse City, Mich.-based North Bay Produce upgrades its packing sheds annually, adding new equipment and making operations more efficient, said Ken Korson, apple and asparagus category manager.

Most recently, the company installed controlled-atmosphere storage at five of its six packing sheds, enabling the company to store apples on site, Korson said.

The firm also upgraded packing lines at two sheds and continues to add high-density blocks of fruit to its orchards.

High-density orchards “produce a more consistent fruit for fresh production by enabling better sizing, color and a cleaner piece of fruit,” Korson said.

Riveridge has organic pouch bags

Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., Sparta, Mich., has created pouch bags for its organic ambrosia, EverCrisp and gala apple varieties, said Trish Taylor, marketing manager. Honeycrisp will be added next season. Each variety has a different color.

“We created the organic pouches with a theme that gives a nod to our 30 acres of wildflowers planted around some of our orchards,” she said. “These areas are safe havens to pollinators and beneficials and are full of native grasses and wildflowers.”