Product – Giropoma

Fresh, intense and versatile, that’s Joya®

In the world of fruit, few things rival the juiciness and taste of a good apple. And when it comes to an exceptional apple, Joya® stands out as one of the most desirable varieties for its taste balance, crisp texture and vibrant red color. It is the result of decades of careful cultivation and selection, which has resulted in a superior quality fruit that attracts apple lovers around the world.

La Joya® is the registered trademark and trade name for the Cripps Red variety. It is a variety developed under the Club umbrella, which means that it has to meet high quality and packaging standards, it is produced and marketed by a limited number of growers and distributors, of which Giropoma is part, and it has to follow specific and environmentally committed practices.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Joya® is its intense red color on a yellowish-green background. It stands out for its sweetness and its powerful acidic touch, making it the ideal combination for consumption in good weather. A firm, crunchy and juicy apple that is harvested between November and December and can be found until the end of July.

Its properties and attributes make it a perfect choice both for fresh food and for inclusion in countless recipes, from salads, to accompany meat and fish, to desserts.

It provides water, minerals and vitamin C that your body needs to face the day with energy, an essential option for a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet.

The Pink Lady®, a successful variety developed under the Club formula

The Pink Lady® apple was born in 1973 in Australia, and it was not until 1994 – 1995 that the first trees of this variety were planted in Europe, more precisely in France. In 1997, nursery owners, growers and distributors joined forces to create the Pink Lady® Europe association, and in 1998-1999, Spanish and Italian growers joined the Pink Lady® adventure.

Pink Lady® is the trade name and registered trademark of the Cripps Pink variety, a variety that has been developed under the Club umbrella, which means that it must meet specific quality and packaging standards, is produced and marketed by a limited number of growers and distributors, of which Giropoma is a member, and has to follow specific practices committed to the environment.

The Pink Lady® is an apple that stands out for its bicolor tone between reddish pink and pale green. It has a thin skin and a very aromatic cream-colored flesh, with a crunchy and juicy texture and a medium to large size. In terms of flavor, it combines very balanced sweetness with acidity. Its development is fast, especially with strong thermal differentials between day and night, and its optimum harvest time is November.

It is an ideal apple for eating fresh, making juices and is widely used in salads and to accompany meat and fish.

Golden, one of the most appreciated apples by consumers

According to the Report on Food Consumption in Spain 2022 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), apples are one of the most consumed fresh fruits in Spain, ranking among the five major apple-producing countries in the EU-27. As for Catalan production, most of the total production of table apples is produced in Catalonia, with Lleida and Girona being the main production regions, followed by Tarragona and Barcelona (MAPA, 2023).

As for the Golden, it is one of the most cultivated varieties worldwide, due to its quality characteristics and its ability to adapt to any kind of soil, as well as its good cold storage.

The Golden is a smooth-skinned, greenish-yellow apple with a slight golden hue, round in shape and medium to large in size. Its texture is crunchy, juicy and smooth, and its flesh is white and consistent. It is characterized by a high sugar content and low acid content, and is very aromatic. Its optimum harvest time is in early September, and it can be found throughout the year, since it stands out for its good preservation.

Golden is one of the varieties that Giropoma produces and markets under the umbrella of the Protected Geographical Indication Poma de Girona, a seal of international recognition, product differentiation, evidence of quality and link to the territory.

It is an ideal apple to eat fresh, to make juices and cakes or to add to salads, and it is also a very good choice for baking.

Candine, the new apple that Giropoma has started to commercialize

This March, Giropoma has launched the commercialization of Candine. This apple originates from France and is the result of a cross between the Fuji and Ariane varieties.

A sweet, aromatic and fresh apple, it is characterized by its slightly flattened shape, smooth and shiny red skin with yellowish-green areas. It reaches maturity at the end of September, and keeps until June, as it is a variety that keeps very well.

Its organoleptic qualities have nothing to envy to other varieties. It has a crunchy and juicy texture, a high sugar level that mixed with a moderate acidity creates a refreshing and balanced flavor. Candine is an apple that is very well accepted in the market, thanks to its characteristics, which contribute to the desire to eat it again.

This is the first year that the company is marketing it, with the aim of consolidating it over the years. It will be available in different formats; single-layer boxes, trays of 4 or 6 pieces and bags.

In addition to Regalyou marketed under the Candine®, the apple trading company also produces other varieties such as Gala, Golden, Red Delicious and Granny Smith varieties, which are under the umbrella of the PGI Apple of Girona, the Fuji and the club varieties, the Cripps Pink marketed under the Pink Lady® brand and the Cripps Red marketed under the Joya® brand, as well as organic apple, identified as GiroBio. Each with its own characteristics, apples are an indispensable part of a natural and healthy diet, and are balanced and nutritious.

The organic production and marketing line, the Giropoma’s new commitment

Recently, Giropoma has opted for a new line of production and marketing, the organic apple, identified as GiroBio. Organic production uses biological control of pests and diseases, and favors biodiversity in plantations, with the aim of obtaining high quality products that respect the environment and human health.

This new channel has been the result of market demand and the company’s customers, who have detected the need to satisfy a segment of the population highly sensitized and aware of organic products.

In 2016, Giropoma started working on organic production in an experimental farm, with varieties of commercial interest and other varieties adapted to organic cultivation. From these, the most interesting ones for organic production were selected, from which commercial farm planting began in 2018. Years later, at the beginning of this 2023, the commercialization of this new organic line has started.

To access this market, the company has been certified by the Catalan Council of Organic Agricultural Production (CCPAE), the organic certification that guarantees that the products have been produced or elaborated following the rules of organic agriculture, and that they have been controlled throughout their production, processing, packaging and marketing process.

Giropoma is currently distributing this organic line in national supermarkets, with the aim of consolidating this new channel, combining it with conventional production, which follows the principles of integrated production. For the company, future expectations are foreseen to be successful thanks to the youth of the apple trees located in the farms of the partner-producers.

Giropoma’s 7 apple varieties: properties and benefits

Giropoma faces the final stretch of the 2022 harvest, which will end in early December with the Joya variety. Despite the difficulties in coloring some of the varieties due to this year’s hot weather, the harvest will be characterized by good apples, with an optimum level of sweetness and high quality.

The apple producing and marketing company kicked off the 2022 harvest at the beginning of August with the Gala variety, followed by Golden and Red Delicious during the month of September. In October, it was the turn of Granny Smith and Fuji, followed by the Cripps Pink variety marketed under the brand name Pink Lady® in November and Joya at the end of the same month and beginning of the following month.

These are the main characteristics of our varieties:

– Gala: red striated apple on a creamy yellow background. It is crunchy, sweet and has an acid point that gives it a very good taste balance.

– Golden: soft-skinned apple with a greenish-yellow color. It is crunchy, sweet, with very little acidity and white flesh.

– Red Delicious: deep red apple, usually of large caliber. It has a whitish flesh, sweet flavor and is very aromatic.

– Granny Smith: deep green apple, very round with whitish lenticels. It is crunchy, has a whitish flesh and a very characteristic acid taste.

– Fuji: light red apple on a green-yellow background. It is very sweet, crunchy and juicy.

– Pink Lady® (Cripps Pink variety): apple that stands out for its bicolor tone between reddish pink and pale green. It is crunchy, juicy and combines sweetness and acidity in a balanced way.

– Joya: an apple with an intense red color. It is crunchy, sweet and with a touch of acidity.

Each of the varieties with its own characteristics, apples can be considered the queen of all fruits. They are an indispensable part of a natural and healthy diet and are balanced and nutritious.

They help prevent cardiovascular problems and inflammatory diseases, as well as helping to digest the fats we consume. They provide a large amount of fiber that helps the digestive system to function properly, are rich in vitamins and minerals and have antioxidant and vitalizing properties.