A New Apple Called Hunnyz Is Making Waves In Wenatchee

Yesterday morning, my co-worker emailed everyone to let them know there were apples in the break room. Since I live in Wenatchee, I often find bags or boxes of apples, and I like to take one now and then.

But yesterday was special.

My co-worker came into my studio and told me that his wife, who works at Auvil Fruit, wanted us to try a new apple variety that is similar to Honeycrisp.

Excited, I took off my headphones and hurried to the break room. When I got there, I saw a box labeled with the new variety: Hunnyz.

I washed an apple and took a bite. It was crisp and had a great mix of tanginess and sweetness. It tasted so good that I even ate another one later.

When I got home that afternoon, I told my family about this new apple variety that isn’t on the market yet. My wife was eager to try it too, so I made a special trip back to the break room to get a few more apples. When I returned home, I washed a Hunnyz apple, sliced it, and shared half with my wife and half with my son. They both agreed it was the best apple they had ever tasted.

Auvil Fruit’s Legacy

In 1928, Grady Auvil and his brothers founded Auvil Fruit Company on 22 acres in Orondo, Washington, planting apples, apricots, and pears after clearing rocky land. They expanded steadily, adding peaches and nectarines, building facilities, and replanting after the construction of the Rocky Reach Dam in the 1950s. By the 1990s, they farmed over 1,000 acres, focusing on apples and cherries. Today, with 1,500+ acres, they innovate in premium fruit.

The newest addition to the Gee Whiz/Auvil Fruit family of apples, "Hunnyz™”

Auvil Fruit describes this apple as a bi-color variety. It is a cross between CrimsonCrisp® and Honeycrisp, resulting in a uniquely balanced flavor profile with a satisfying crunch and incredible taste. Over 4,000 experimental crosses were attempted, but only one apple ultimately met our standards and goals.

Each year, multiple taste panels were conducted to determine which varieties would yield the ideal flavor and size. This effort led to what Auvil Fruit proudly calls "the Apple"!

I sent a text message to my co-worker's wife, who works at Auvil Fruit

“The Honnyz is so good I ate two! Thank you for having us try them.” Her response:

“Glad you enjoyed them, brought them there for you guys to eat!  It’s our 4th growing season for these, and we cannot get them here in town just yet.  We just got Martins Marketplace and Dan’s Grocery in Leavenworth to start selling them later this week, and I am taking some to Royal Produce in Pybus to start selling locally."

“When exactly will Hunnyz be available in our area?”

“Starting Martins Marketplace (in Cashmere) is running a big ad for us today (Thursday, November 6th), along with a free sampling. Dan’s Grocery in Leavenworth will be on board soon, and I have to take samples to Royal Produce at Pybus, perhaps today for weekend sampling.”

Go out of your way to any of those three locations and try Hunnyz, the new variety from Auvil Fruit. Once you taste it, it may become your new favorite apple.