Red Delicious No Longer Apple of America's Eye

Red Delicious apples, America’s most widely produced apple for over five decades, is no longer number one, as America’s taste for fresh fruit diversifies. Historically Americans bought fruit that looked good and travelled well. Consumers are now interested in healthier varieties of food that have a sense of authenticity and individualism about them. Red Delicious’ historic wide-reach may be working against it in that regard.

Below is a chart that illustrates the rise of smaller brands at the expense of the historic behemoth, Red Delicious. In the past two years, smaller varieties, such as Honey Crisp, has steadily edged up their production, while Red Delicious has rolled back the number of apples that it produces per year.