These variety of apples, known for their deep red colour, bold sweetness, and signature zing, are now cultivated in the Ceres Valley in the Western Cape.

“This apple is a game-changer for those who love a crisp, juicy apple with a refreshing balance of sweetness and tartness,” says Rebecca Fifield, food technologist at Pick n Pay.

She says that apples are a customer favourite, and Pick n Pay stores stock all the major apple cultivars (11) due to their popularity and being a staple food in many people’s diets.

“Top red apples are our biggest seller, but it’s always great introducing something new and we can’t wait for customers to taste the Sassy apple.”

Fruit with a twist

Pick n Pay continues to partner with local producers to introduce ‘fruit with a twist’ to South African shoppers.

In 2022, the retailer launched caviar limes, which became an instant hit - selling out within days and even leading to waiting lists at select stores.

Dekopon mandarins - a large, super sweet mandarin sought after in many countries - were also locally grown and introduced on shelf in 2023.

Pick n Pay also introduced blood oranges, initially imported but later replaced with locally grown fruit. It also launched Valentine oranges, a pink-fleshed citrus available from July to September.

“These partnerships allow us to bring popular fruit from our countries to South African shelves, offering customers exciting new options while also supporting local growers, which is a top priority for us,” says Fifield.

There will initially be a limited supply of Sassy apples as the orchard develops to its full capacity, explains Fifield.

“The orchard is very young, and the supplier wasn’t expecting to get much fruit this year, but the trees surprised everyone. We were offered the apples, and we snapped them up because we’ve wanted to introduce the Sassy™ variety to customers for a long time. The volumes will grow yearly as the trees mature and more plantings are done,” she says.

A small quantity of Sassy Apples will be sold at four Pick n Pay stores - for a limited time - namely Constantia and Plattekloof in Cape Town and On Nicol and Douglasdale in Johannesburg.