Joya® Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Joya® apples vary in size and shape, depending on cultivation methods and growing environment, and are generally a small to medium varietal with a round, conical, or blocky, square-like shape. The fruits have flat, broad shoulders, a straight to slightly curved middle, and a flat to slanted base. Inside the open basin at the top of the fruit, small patches of green-brown russet fill the cavity and sometimes spill out onto the shoulders, creating patches of lightly textured skin. The stems are also set in this basin and are fibrous, green-brown, and woody. The apple’s skin is semi-smooth, taut, glossy, and waxy, covered in large, widely-spaced white lenticels. The surface develops a yellow-green base, almost entirely covered in dark red to light red blush. This blushing will vary per apple and is dependent on the amount of sunlight received during cultivation. Some fruits will appear entirely red and exhibit a streaky, mottled, solid red blush, while others will be less bicolored with only a few flushed spots. Underneath the surface, the pale yellow to ivory flesh is occasionally tinged with green and has a dense, aqueous, and firm nature with a crisp, lightly springy, and chewy consistency. The flesh is denser than its sister variety, Cripps Pink apples, and is slow to brown, breaking off in large chunks when consumed. The flesh also encases a small central fibrous core filled with tiny, black-brown seeds. Joya® apples are aromatic and edible raw when ripe. The variety is known for its balanced taste, comprised of high acidity mixed with sugar, averaging 12 to 15 Brix, creating a sweet and tangy flavor with spiced honey and berry nuances. It is important to note that Joya® apples may be tarter and acidic when first harvested. The apple’s flavor will mellow with storage and develop a milder, sweet, and fruity taste.
Seasons/Availability
Joya® apples are harvested in the late fall through early winter. The variety is cultivated in both hemispheres, providing year-round availability in some markets.
Current Facts
Joya® apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a late-season commercial variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The bi-colored fruits were developed in Western Australia in the late 20th century and were selected for retail markets for the variety’s sweet-tart taste, vibrant coloring, and dense, crisp, and juicy flesh. The name Joya® is a protected brand name used for the apple cultivar known as Cripps Red in European, American, and South African markets. Cripps Red is a sister variety to Pink Lady® apples, also known as Cripps Pink apples, and was among the first fruits released from the newly established apple breeding program in Western Australia through renowned breeder John Cripps. Since their release and rebranding as Joya®, the apple variety has increased in commercial popularity for its late arrival in retail markets, filling a need for flavorful apples that can be sold domestically and exported. Joya® apples also have low chill requirements, are hardy and can withstand damage during transport, and have a juicy, crunchy consistency for appeal as a fresh-eating cultivar. Joya® apples are marketed as a healthy, on-the-go snack that provides energy and nutrients. The variety is heavily promoted for active individuals, and the apples can be consumed raw or incorporated into a wide array of sweet or savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Joya® apples are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin E to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, and calcium to protect bones and teeth. The variety also provides magnesium to control nerve functions, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, phosphorus to repair tissues, and other nutrients, including copper, zinc, manganese, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9. The apple’s pigmented skin indicates the presence of anthocyanins, natural compounds with antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation and protect the body's overall health.
Applications
Joya® apples have a sweet, tart, and tangy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is popularly eaten out of hand and is enjoyed as an on-the-go snack. Joya® apples can also be sliced and served on fruit platters and cheese boards, shredded into slaws, or chopped and tossed into salads and grain bowls. The variety’s crunchy nature adds texture to sandwiches and burgers, or the flesh can be thinly sliced and stuffed into pitas and fresh spring rolls. Try dicing Joya® apples into dips, salsa, or overnight oats. The apples can also be blended into a filling with nuts and spices and coated in a layer of dark chocolate as a sweet treat. In addition to fresh preparations, Joya® apples hold their shape well when heated, allowing them to be wrapped in pastry dough and baked whole or grilled and served as a decadent topping over ice cream. Joya® apples can be simmered into nut butter, sauces, compotes, chutney, and jams, or they can be sliced and dried or baked into chips and wafers. The variety’s balanced taste contributes flavoring in cakes, scones, cobblers, crisps, muffins, biscuits, and Danishes, and the apples are also cooked into fillings for fritters, dumplings, pies, and turnovers. Joya® apples pair well with nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, cheeses such as goat, brie, parmesan, and cheddar, herbs including parsley, rosemary, thyme, and mint, and meats including beef, poultry, and pork. Whole, unwashed Joya® apples will last 3 to 6 months when kept in professional cold storage. They will also keep for around four weeks in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Joya® is a commercial brand name for the apple variety Cripps Red. Both Cripps Red and Cripps Pink apples were bred by John Cripps in Western Australia and share the same parentage despite their differing physical characteristics and flavoring. John Cripps is one of the most famous apple breeders in Australia. He became internationally known for his Cripps Pink variety, which was later branded under the name Pink Lady®. Cripps Red apples were also branded under Sundowner® and Joya® for increased consumer appeal in commercial markets. After the success of both apple cultivars, John Cripps was inducted into the Agricultural Society of Western Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2010 for his research and contributions to apple breeding. He was also declared an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015, an award that recognizes individuals who have performed achievements in their field and acts of service. This award has four levels, and the Officer of the Order is the second highest level that can be given. Sadly, John Cripps passed away in May 2022 at the age of 95, but his contributions to the Australian and International apple industry continue to live on, especially through his two commercial varieties.
Geography/History
Joya® apples were developed in the 1970s by horticulturist John Cripps at the Stoneville Research Station in Western Australia. Cripps was a professor, scientist, and breeder who moved from England to Perth, Australia, in 1955 to work for the Western Australia Department of Agriculture. When Cripps first began his job in Australia, his primary assignment was to improve commercial grapevine rootstocks. Cripps was also allowed to crossbreed apple varieties as a secondary focus, and after several years of breeding new apples, he developed Cripps Red and Cripps Pink apples. Cripps’ main focus in creating a new apple variety was to produce a cultivar with improved flavoring, texture, and appearance. He spent over twenty-five years performing over 100,000 crosses for the two varieties, and both apples were eventually released commercially. Cripps Red apples are a cross between Lady Williams and Golden Delicious apples. In 1989, the apples were selected for cultivation at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Center in Western Australia and were one of the first cultivars released commercially from the breeding program. After their debut, Cripps Red apples were rebranded under the name Sundowner® in 1993. Sundowner® apples were highly favored for their low chill requirements, allowing the variety to be grown in warm regions with long summers and somewhat mild winters. Later, in 1996, Sundowner® apples were planted in South Africa and were sold by the company TopFruit rebranded under the name Joya®. The commercial brand eventually expanded to Europe in 1997 and was planted in South-East France, commercially released around 2012 to the public. Today, Joya® apples are sold under this brand name in South Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. In some markets, the apple variety is also sold under the names Sundowner® and Cripps Red. When in season, the variety is sold through commercial fresh markets, retailers, and distributors worldwide.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Joya® Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Joya Apples |
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Joya Apple Nut Butter |
