Glancing at fall limited-time menus, whether they feature beverages, salads, entrees or desserts, you’ll likely find apples in a starring role. This LTO choice is not only seasonally appropriate but also economically savvy, as apples are freshest, most abundant and least expensive this time of year.
But the mere word apple in the seasonal special description (and even the dish name) is as about as exciting as lettuce salad. Eyes pass right over that in search of something that sounds appetizing. But beyond boring the guest, if you use the generic term in the description, you can only charge a generic price. Aim to appeal to guests looking for quality and specificity in their food choices, and charge appropriately for that.
Caribou Coffee’s list of fall beverages features six new Honeycrisp Apple swigs combining Honeycrisp apple puree with the likes of caramel, espresso, coffee, nitro cold brew coffee and steamed milk/oat milk. Each uses Honeycrisp apple in the name. Those beverages simply would not sparkle if the coffee chain elected to simplify with generic apple.
You can also invoke the apple variety in syrups used in fall beverages like Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii does with its Caramel Apple Mana, which is an iced energy drink with caramel and Granny Smith apple syrups.
In the menu description for its Roasted Apple and Butternut Squash Salad, Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão specifies its varietal: Roasted butternut squash and Fuji apples drizzled with honey and topped with lime zest.
By now, Fuji apples have earned a glowing reputation for their sweetness, crisp texture and long shelf life, which makes them durable and versatile across the menu. Nekter Juice Bar’s fall LTO (coinciding with the reality TV show The Golden Bachelorette) features Spiced Golden Apple Smoothie and Spiced Golden Apple Bowl. The smoothie blends cashew milk with Fuji apples, pumpkin spice, vanilla protein, a turmeric-cashew drizzle and agave syrup.
Homing in on a specific apple variety to feature is about more than the supply source, seasonality and pricing. From an R&D perspective, it’s very much about flavor, of course. But it’s equally about marketing. Perhaps there’s no other commodity that has invested as much into launching and naming varieties as the apple industry—especially Washington, New York and Michigan—the top apple-growing states.
Consider using some of the other “it” apples like Jazz, Cosmic Crisp, SnapDragon and Rave to add excitement to your menu and storytelling opportunities for your web presence, social media or table-side service. Apple commodity boards can be a valuable resource in this area.
Whether it’s a Honeycrisp latte or a Fuji apple salad, specifying the variety is about creating value that customers are willing to pay for. After all, a well-named apple makes for a more memorable dish and a more profitable one.
Jody Shee