The Fuji apple has been one of the most popular apples worldwide in the last couple decades. Those are the best types of accidents! Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it! Required fields are marked *. No, Kiku apples are non-GMO. In 1990, a mututation of a Fuji tree, produced an apple that was different from the other Fujis. They are too sweet really for what I want a baking apple to be. Are Any Apples GMO? And they taste like KIKU - fresh, firm, tasty and sweet. Plus there are many better choices out there for baking. Recently tried the Kiku for the first time and it quickly jumped to the top of my favorite apple variety list!!!! Crunchy, sweet apple that is mildly juciy. It wasn't very good. In fact the ones I got were not very juicy at all, and the skin is thick and rather bitter. I see most grocery stores selling them for the same price as the other apples, except Honeycrisp. Kiku Apples are relatively easy to find now. Hi! Rice Fruit Company (Gardners, PA) On a very limited basis, Rice Fruit Company offers KIKU apples for individual sale. I love honey crisp and ambrosia apples, but this one is right up there with them, LOVE it!! In 1990, Italian apple grower Luis Braun visited an orchard while on vacation in Japan. So, I tried a Kiku. hello. Tried the apples first time this morning cooked in butter and honey and agree the kiku apple is just as good as the honeycrisp. If you answer, yes to the first question, then your going to want to know about the Kiku Apple. If you need help finding them, let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Instagram - @eatlikenooneelse. I found the apple to be crisp to a fault ,very juicy but ultimately bland. This apple gained the name, Kiku. The crispness I would also give a six in comparison to the jazz apple which may be the crunchier I've had. To learn more about GMO & apples, check out my post: Are SweeTango Apples GMO? Kiku is harvested late in the fall season same time as a standard Fuji. I just saw some for $1.49/pound. and now I haven't been able to get them at my grocery store for about a month. Found them at WalMart and was shocked at the price. Wait again until they are released near the end of this year from Washington and you might have a better experience. This and all your Kiku apple questions answered below! First thought it was a red delicious, no a granny smith, snappy crisp, juicy with a slight tartness and hint of pear. Kiku is harvested late in the fall season same time as a standard Fuji. I won't be wasting money on them again. First off, I wouldn't recommend getting them just because of the cost. My grocery store was selling them for nearly $4 a pound compared to the typical $1.89 for Fuji. Working on the principle of trying anything once I would not repeat on this. I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. About KIKU. It was more blah tasting than it was sweet. Episode 150 - Quick Recipe to Use Up Cherry Tomatoes. There are several modern varieties with a very similar profile - give me a characterful apple any day - crispness isn't everything ! Maybe you already know about it and love it and here to learn more about your new love. LOVE the Kiku! CMI is the exclusive shipper and grower of Kiku apples in the United States. Not to my knowledge. Be a helper and share where you found it. That eye appeal is what attracted retailers to carry the Kiku. Tried my first Kiku by accident yesterday by grabbing the first red apple in the apple bin to correct a low blood sugar situation. I hope that you like them. This was a delightful treet and corrected the blood sugars within 15 minutes. CMI is the exclusive shipper and grower of Kiku apples in the United States. The inside is off white, which from a visual perspective would not make it a good salad apple. Are SweeTango Apples GMO? History Of The Kiku Apple. It just has more personality than a Fuji, which I think most of the time aren't anything special. Learn how your comment data is processed. KIKU is a remarkable apple that inspires a devoted following among apple connoisseurs. Leave a comment below telling us. KIKU history. ), Copyright 2023 Eat Like No One Else on the Foodie Pro Theme. After my first bite I had to take a look at my sales receipt to find out what I bought. I think so. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! Further, KIKU apples come only from select growers in strategic regions across the U.S. CMI Orchards and its growers in Washington State (Columbia Fruit Packers) were given the opportunity to develop the North American market for KIKU. Make sure to come on back and leave a comment to tell us all what you thought! Are Kiku apples a new apple or an old apple with a new name? Are Any Apples GMO? my favorite is honeycrisp. There is also a second season when New Zealand Kiku apples become available in the summer time. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. They could be out there, but I have not recalled ever seeing organic Kiku. The apple isn't normally released until winter time with the peak season being in January and February. Just a hint of tartness in this apple. I bought some smaller ones which taste better than the larger ones, which do end up tasting kind of bland. I tried a kiku and it was up there with honeycrisp, but the price was very high. What makes Kiku stand out from Fuji is it's color. Your email address will not be published. Some say that supply is not meeting the demand for Kiku. Kiku apples are NOT very sweet, I found them to be watery, not crisp as honeycrisp and not nearly as sweet or juicy. Episode 151 - Do I Really Need to Peel a Peach for Pie? Most major grocery chains (Walmart, Kroger, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc) will carry them from time to time. If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews. Thanks for the information. KIKU apples are amazing: they look good and have a striped ruby-red colouring over a large amount of the outer surface, even when picked from the shady parts of the tree. This apple realy dances on the senses. Advantages at all stages: growing, yield, storage and commercialisation. is not better than the Fuji and its an insult to even compare them. They are grown in the state of Washington. The apple isn't normally released until winter time with the peak season being in January and February. I came across kiku apples at a grocery store in Spring, Texas, and I picked up a couple. So in short, no the kiku doesn't come close to the perfection that is the Fuji. Ratings on a scale of 1-10. Late apples have a longer shelf life. The kiku has more like a 6 in sweetness because it vanishes so quickly, whereas the Fuji flavor stays with you. The big big question is, is this apple better than the Fuji? Just bought some Italian grown Kiku from a supermarket here in the UK. The sport branch had striped ruby red fruit, so Braun bought the rights to the . Have you tried this apple? Thanks for the comment! I think Kiku are best for eat out of hand. I normally do not eat Kiku apples this time of year. He noticed that one Fuji apple tree had an unusual branch, a natural mutation called a sport, that produced an apple different from others on the tree. They are grown in the state of Washington. I'm curious as to how they'll taste. Modified: Feb 17, 2020 by Eric Samuelson. Your email address will not be published. What did you think? I tried one, expecting to love it. Kiku is not my favorite apple but one I do enjoy purchasing from time to time, especially in the late winter months when the picking gets slim. Here is what I have thought of the Kiku apples I have tried. 5 Days with My Food Processor: Fruit Puree. KIKU GmbH Lammweg 23 I-39057 Girlan South Tyrol Tel: +39 0471 660 640 Fax: +39 0471 660 190 www.kiku-apple.com That is way too expensive for them. Kiku has a skin that is way more red than the Fuji apple that has more of a dull pink colored skin. KIKU apples are remarkable and have inspired a devoted following among apple connoisseurs. I would not buy them again. I personally prefer a nutty somewhat more acidic apple. Late apples have a longer shelf life. While the Kiku apple is no where near as popular as what it mutated from, it's growing in popularity. I am crazy about apples I eat at least four a day, and after trying the kiku I can say for certain document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The kiku are now my favorite apples but they are expensive, about 2.99/lb. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. The skin of the apple is bland and takes a long time to chew. The one you had was likely imported.