Coles first to offer apples with no added wax nationally
From tomorrow, Coles is the first major Australian supermarket in decades to offer only no added wax apples to customers.
JANUARY 2018
After an overwhelmingly positive customer response from trials in West Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, this bold change has been rolled out Australia-wide and all Coles customers nationally can now enjoy apples with no added wax.
Wax has traditionally been used to enhance the appearance of apples however Coles is removing this process after research indicated more than 70 per cent of Australians like the idea of buying no added wax apples.
In line with Coles’ commitment to offering Australians the freshest fruit and vegetables, customers across Australia can now enjoy this 100% Australian fruit without added wax – the apples may look less shiny but they will still taste and smell delicious.
Coles General Manager Fresh Produce, Brad Gorman, said, “At Coles we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to improve our fresh produce.”
“We know our customers want to eat more natural, fresh foods so we are proud to work with apple growers all over Australia to remove the waxing process and offer a more natural version of this Australian favourite.”
Manjimup Western Australia Apple Supplier Newton Orchards has been supplying Coles with apples for more than 25 years and owner Harvey Giblett is an advocate for this exciting change.
“We are proud to be working with Coles to bring this delicious fruit to customers in a way that’s closer to nature. At Newton Orchards we enjoy our apples straight from the orchard and we think Australians will love enjoying their apples in a similar way.”
“Coles removing the waxing process is great for Newton Orchards - it enables us to simplify our processes and reinvest time and cost savings into our business.”
Tynong Victorian Apple Grower from Battunga Orchards, Rob Thompson, has been supplying Coles with apples for more than 23 years and says this change will mean significant cost savings for their business.
“There’s no question that not adding wax will mean significant savings for us – it will mean savings on labour, maintenance of machinery and the cost of wax. I’ve seen apples with no added wax in Europe and thought it would be a fantastic for growers in Australia.
“Currently we need 25 people each night just to wash the waxing machine and not adding wax will mean these employees can help in other areas of our business, such as packing.”
Customers can now enjoy apples with no added wax at all Coles supermarkets nationwide.
*Colmar Brunton Research, November 2015, n =1001
For further information, please contact Coles Media Line (03) 9829 5250 or
media.relations@coles.com.au
