Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the developer and grower behind genetically engineered non-browning Arctic apples, launched a new brand of hard cider that incorporates some of these apple varieties. This new Endless Orchard Hard-Pressed Cider was debuted this month during an exclusive tasting event.
Endless Orchard has six ciders, in a variety of flavors and styles. The signature Everlasting Golden, crafted from Arctic Golden apples, offers a crisp and refreshing taste. Infinite Granny, a blend of Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden, combines the best of both worlds. Also featured are the zesty Radiant Mimosa-Orange, the aromatic Boundless Blueberry-Basil, and the tropical Eternal Sunshine Pineapple-Mango. The company also unveiled the Forever Fuji Imperial cider, which spotlights the beloved Arctic Fuji apples in a higher alcohol variety.
“The non-browning trait of Arctic apples lends to a clean and fresh, full-flavored cider,” said Neal Carter, Okanagan Specialty Fruits CEO. “We feel we have the best apples in the world, and when you start with the best apples, we think you get the best ciders.”
Under tagline and mantra “Celebrate Everything,” the company said that the unique nature of Arctic apples leads to a one-of-a-kind drinking experience.
The Arctic apple was a game-changer for the biotech industry when it debuted in the mid 2010s. While most genetically engineered crops in the U.S. are created to have herbicide resistance or higher levels of drought tolerance, those aren’t public-facing traits. The Arctic apples, on the other hand, were created by Neal and Louisa Carter from British Columbia, Canada, and were engineered to not immediately turn brown when people cut into them, thus holding some real potential for reducing food waste and giving people access to healthy food options.
It was something tangible that consumers could see and connect with. Parents could now pack apple slices in their kids’ lunch boxes and not worry about them spoiling. More people could eat apples and not worry about brown spots and bruising. Baking possibilities were endless. If apple slices could sit out at an event or potluck, hopefully more people will reach for this more attractive, healthy snack.
This was done using gene technology where two genes inside the apple were switched to shut off the polyphenolic oxidase enzyme, which causes the browning of apples once sliced.
The cider is produced at the company’s cidery in East Wenatchee, Washington, using Arctic apples exclusively grown in Washington state.