Hi everyone!
I’m Irma and I am one of the co-owners and co-developers of the Red Prince® apple! There are so many reasons why I love the Red Prince®, that is hard to find a place to begin or the right words to explain just exactly how much they mean to me- but let me give it a try!
As you have read from one our previous stories, healthy living is super important to our family. People in North America are so busy that we lose track of the most basic things that can really make our day-to-day lives better, like healthy eating. I believe an effort has to be made to switch out unhealthy snacks for alternatives that can help encourage & generate significant health benefits.
By growing the Red Prince® apple, I feel like we are contributing to a happier and healthier tomorrow. Did you know that red skinned apples are especially high in antioxidants, contain plenty of pectin and loads of fiber, which helps to reduce cholesterol and fight off cancer cells. The Red Prince®, with is distinctive ruby-red skin does all of these things while also encouraging healthy heart and memory function!
While I am proud that our apple serves as such a healthy and easy option for people and families in North America, I am also incredibly excited about the quality & unique-ness of its taste! I have 4 children of my own, so I know how hard it can be to please everyone when it comes to having the right foods in the house. However, when my kids come home from College and University, the first thing they ask for is a Red Prince® apple, followed by the request to bring a bunch back for themselves and their friends. They just love the balanced taste of sweet and tangy and not to mention the amazing shelf life that the Red Prince® has. I love how contagious our apple is, once someone tastes it, they are hooked and the crisp apple quickly becomes their new favourite!
As a lover of foods, I appreciate versatility and the Red Prince® does not lack in this category either. I love using the Red Prince® in my salads to add a burst of colour, I love mixing the unpeeled apple into my smoothies (that’s right, unpeeled!) and I adore using this apple to bake with. The Red Prince®, one apple that does it all!
I am also so proud of where we grow our Red Prince®. We are blessed in the Beaver Valley with clean air, great water, the Niagara Escarpment and the cool waters of the Georgian Bay. All of these gorgeous Micro Climate elements allow us to engage in sustainable growing practices, which gives us peace of mind that we are consequently benefiting our environment.
Being that I live right where we grow, I love that I am able to follow the growing process of the Red Prince® from the beginning to its end. It’s amazing to see the Red Prince® apple blossom, I doubt there is anything more beautiful. During its harvest, it is a pleasure to see each bin being filled with these gorgeous ruby red skinned apples, followed by being a part of the process of individually packing each apple to be sent away. Being involved and helping out amongst the employees allows me to get to know each person who has helped our dream become a reality. I love telling our employees about the Red Prince® and our journey, which helps to get everyone motivated and I have no doubt that, that makes a huge difference in our quality of care and production. I can assure you, that throughout every stage our apple goes through, the Red Prince® is handled and treated with tender loving care.
I love being able to hear the reactions from people who have tried the Red Prince®. We are so thankful that people appreciate the love we put into our apples and we are honoured to share this hidden gem with North America.
My Dream for the Red Prince® first and fore most is for it to be an active agent in directing people to lead a more healthy lifestyle. If the Red Prince® can contribute to a healthier society that would be a dream come true for me. And who knows! Wouldn’t it be great if we could be North America’s favourite apple!
Thank you so much for taking some time to read about why the Red Prince® means so much to me. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Irma