Cosmic Crisp

{{Infobox cultivar

| name = Cosmic Crisp

| image = Cosmic_Crisp.jpg

| image_caption =

| image_alt = Several red Cosmic Crisp apples on a branch, among green leaves

| genus = Malus

| species = Malus domestica

| hybrid = Honeycrisp × Enterprise

| cultivar = WA 38

| marketing_names = Cosmic Crisp

| origin = {{flagicon|USA}} Washington State University, 1997

}}

Cosmic Crisp is an American apple with the cultivar designation WA 38.{{cite web |last1=Jarvis |first1=Brooke |title=The Launch |url=https://story.californiasunday.com/cosmic-crisp-apple-launch |magazine=The California Sunday Magazine |access-date=July 23, 2019 |date=July 18, 2019}} Breeding began in 1997 at the Washington State University (WSU) Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, Washington, and was initially overseen by Bruce Barritt. Kate Evans completed the research after Barritt's retirement from WSU.{{cite web |title=Horticulturalist, fruit breeder Kate Evans to lead WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center {{!}} WSU Insider |url=https://news.wsu.edu/2019/07/18/horticulturalist-fruit-breeder-kate-evans-lead-wsu-tree-fruit-research-extension-center/ |website=WSU Insider |publisher=Washington State University |access-date=October 2, 2019 |date=July 18, 2019}}

Characteristics

The Cosmic Crisp is a cross between Honeycrisp and Enterprise apples. It is intended to have the texture and juiciness of the Honeycrisp, and the late-ripening behavior and long storage of the Enterprise.{{Cite web|last=Scribner|first=Herb|date=August 13, 2019|title=The Cosmic Crisp may be your new favorite apple. Here's what it tastes like|url=https://www.deseret.com/2019/8/13/20801953/comic-crisp-apple-washington-state-university-wa-38|access-date=December 17, 2020|website=Deseret News}} The Cosmic Crisp is characterized mainly by uniformly colored dark red skin, dense firm flesh, and an improved shelf life.{{Cite web |url=http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/cosmic-crisp-getting-an-out-of-this-world-reception-from/article_1c29d0ee-1e4a-11e6-b628-07f00985944a.html |title=Cosmic Crisp getting an out-of-this-world reception from apple growers, breeders |last=Ferolito |first=Phil |date=May 19, 2016 |access-date=September 28, 2016}} It is capable of lasting in cold storage for more than ten months and does not brown quickly once cut open.{{Cite news |last=Dickson |first=Courtney |date=November 2, 2019 |title=The fruit of 22 years' labour: Highly anticipated Cosmic Crisp apple set for launch |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cosmic-crisp-apple-1.5336626 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=CBC News}} The look of the apple's light lenticels against its wine-red skin reminded focus groups of a galaxy against a night sky, which led to it being named the Cosmic Crisp. Compared to the Honeycrisp, the Cosmic Crisp is fairly easy to cultivate, making it popular among farmers.{{Cite web |last=Traverso |first=Amy |date=August 16, 2022 |title=The Best New Apple Varieties |url=https://newengland.com/food/the-best-new-apple-varieties/ |access-date=February 23, 2025 |website=New England Today}} It is the first widely grown apple variety developed in Washington and is exclusively grown there per an agreement with WSU that expires in March 2027.

The apple ripens at the same time as the Red Delicious and is expected by producers to replace a large part of Red Delicious stocks, as the latter continues to lose market demand. The Cosmic Crisp apple was made available to consumers in 2019,{{Cite web|url=http://www.cosmiccrisp.com/the-facts/|title=The Facts|website=Cosmic Crisp|access-date=November 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930201614/https://www.cosmiccrisp.com/the-facts/|archive-date=September 30, 2017|url-status=dead}} after twenty years of development.{{cite news |last=Valdes |first=Manuel |date=February 24, 2016 |title=Washington's new apple joining a changing industry |url=https://apnews.com/812adb86c8ac47bbbfc626c6014c4894 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=December 24, 2019}}{{cite web|last1=Eddy|first1=David|title=Washington State University Names Growers of New Apple Trees|url=http://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/apples-pears/washington-state-university-names-growers-of-new-apple-trees/ |website=Growing Produce |access-date=November 1, 2016 |date=October 8, 2014}}

The New York Times described the apple as "dramatically dark, richly flavored and explosively crisp and juicy", making it "the most promising and important apple of the future".{{cite web |last1=Karp |first1=David |title=Beyond the Honeycrisp Apple |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/04/dining/beyond-the-honeycrisp-apple.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 1, 2016 |date=November 3, 2015}} FoodRepublic.com called it "firmer than the Honeycrisp, but not too firm. And it is high in both sugar and acidity, making it far superior to the Red Delicious, Gala and Fuji varieties as well."{{cite web|title=Meet the Cosmic Crisp, the Apple of the Future |url=http://www.foodrepublic.com/2015/11/04/meet-the-cosmic-crisp-the-apple-of-the-future/ |website=Food Republic |access-date=November 1, 2016 |date=November 4, 2015}} Northwest Public Radio notes that Washington, which produces 70% of U.S. apples, is betting that the cultivar will "conquer" the market.{{cite web |last1=Bartlett |first1=Max |title=There's a Lot of Buzz About the Cosmic Crisp... Hitting Shelves in 2019 |url=http://nwpr.org/post/theres-lot-buzz-about-cosmic-crisp-hitting-shelves-2019 |website=NWPR |access-date=November 1, 2016 |date=November 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104015005/http://nwpr.org/post/theres-lot-buzz-about-cosmic-crisp-hitting-shelves-2019 |archive-date=November 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

First plantings

The variety was first planted for commercial use in spring 2017, with twelve million trees pre-ordered by Washington state orchards.{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/05/03/525421226/washington-apple-growers-sink-their-teeth-into-the-new-cosmic-crisp |title=Washington Apple Growers Sink Their Teeth into the New Cosmic Crisp |last=Charles |first=Dan |date=May 2, 2017 |website=NPR.org |access-date=June 12, 2017}} Interest in the cultivar was so high, the trees initially had to be distributed to apple farmers in a lottery held in 2014—WSU had planned to provide 300,000 saplings but were met with requests for four million.{{cite news|newspaper=Capital Press|title=Yakima firm to help with new apple variety|first=Dan |last=Wheat |date=December 3, 2013|url=https://www.capitalpress.com/yakima-firm-to-help-with-new-apple-variety/article_d2e7a62c-8c76-566b-bb30-9ea443f2515b.html}}{{citation|title=The Next Big Apple Variety Was Bred for Deliciousness in Washington| date= November 24, 2017|url= https://www.seattlemag.com/news-and-features/next-big-apple-variety-was-bred-deliciousness-washington|first=M. Sharon|last=Baker|work=Seattle Business}} Within three years, over thirteen million Cosmic Crisp trees had been planted. Lawsuits emerged between WSU and a Seattle spin off, which the university claimed distributed over 100,000 trees improperly.[https://www.geekwire.com/2018/cosmic-crisp-conflict-washington-state-university-sues-spinoff-company-dispute-apple-future/ 'Cosmic Crisp' conflict: Washington State University sues its own spinoff in dispute over 'apple of the future'], Taylor Soper, Geekwire, March 2018{{cite news|title=Apple controversy: Who can sell Cosmic Crisp trees?|first=Donald W. |last=Meyers |newspaper=Yakima Herald |date= April 18, 2018|url=https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/business/local/apple-controversy-who-can-sell-cosmic-crisp-trees/article_1a449a7c-4399-11e8-9841-03d04cc30720.html}} WSU owns the Cosmic Crisp patent.

Marketing and popularity

File:Cosmic Crisp apples for sale.jpg area]]

A campaign worth $10 million was funded by Washington State through the Washington Apple Commission and other agencies to promote the new apple variety, using the taglines "Imagine the Possibilities" and "The Apple of Big Dreams". Said to be the largest marketing campaign in the history of the apple industry,{{Cite news|url=https://gazette.com/life/the-search-for-the-next-honeycrisp-apple/article_ed1d3446-0210-11e9-849e-bb4a76cba9cb.html|title=The search for the next Honeycrisp apple|last=Bloomberg|first=Kate Krader|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Colorado Springs |date=January 2, 2019|access-date=March 10, 2019}} it included payments to social media influencers and a partnership with a touring children's production of Johnny Appleseed.{{citation|title=Cosmic Crisp apples to launch with $10 million campaign|date=December 6, 2018|author=Chris Koger|url=https://www.thepacker.com/news/retail/cosmic-crisp-apples-launch-10-million-campaign

}}{{Cite news |last=Hoang |first=Mai |date=December 26, 2024 |title=After 5 years, has Cosmic Crisp paid off for Washington growers? |url=https://www.cascadepbs.org/news/2024/12/after-5-years-has-cosmic-crisp-paid-washington-growers |access-date=February 21, 2025 |work=Cascade PBS}} The term "Cosmic Crisp" is trademarked.

The apples went on sale for the first time in late 2019, beginning with a QFC store in University Village, Seattle, on December 1, 2019.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|website=KOMO-TV|title=Seattle QFC debuts first apple ever bred in Washington|date=December 1, 2019|url=https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-qfc-debuts-first-apple-ever-bred-in-washington}} Demand subsequently grew by a large margin. By the 2020s, the Cosmic Crisp had become one of the most cultivated and most sold apple varieties in the United States.{{Cite news |last=Truscott |first=Seth |date=March 13, 2023 |title=WSU's Cosmic Crisp® joins top 10 bestselling U.S. apple varieties |url=https://news.wsu.edu/news/2023/03/13/wsus-cosmic-crisp-joins-top-10-bestselling-u-s-apple-varieties/ |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=WSU Insider}}{{Cite news |last=Babiak |first=Larissa |date=August 12, 2024 |title=This apple is still No. 1 in WA. But another is taking a bite out of its popularity |url=https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/agriculture/article290989585.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250219035448/https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/agriculture/article290989585.html |archive-date=February 19, 2025 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=Tri-City Herald}} According to the US Apple Association, the Cosmic Crisp continues to see growth in the American market, as of the mid-2020s.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2024 |title=2024–25 Apple Production Will Reach Nearly 260 Million Bushels |url=https://usapple.org/news-resources/2024-25-apple-production-will-reach-nearly-260-million-bushels |access-date=March 30, 2025 |website=US Apple Association}} By 2025, enough Cosmic Crisp apple trees have been planted for the variety to be available all year round.{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Jared |last2=Courtney |first2=Ross |last3=Mullinax |first3=TJ |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Cosmic Crisp marks critical mass |url=https://www.goodfruit.com/cosmic-crisp-marks-critical-mass/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Good Fruit Grower}}

Outside of the United States, the Cosmic Crisp has seen high sales in Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, and Vietnam; these countries accounted for 96% of all exports of the variety during the 2021–22 crop season. In Mexico, the Cosmic Crisp has seen steady growth in sales despite the enduring popularity of the Red Delicious and expanding market share of the Gala.{{Cite news |last=Fryhover |first=Todd |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Fryhover: Exporting Cosmic Crisp |url=https://www.goodfruit.com/fryhover-exporting-cosmic-crisp/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Good Fruit Grower}} Cosmic Crisp apples are also sold in Spain, Italy, and Germany, with marketing campaigns aimed at young urban residents.{{Cite news |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Cosmic Crisp is back in Europe with a young and urban campaign |url=https://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2025/01/16/cosmic-crisp-is-back-in-europe-with-a-young-and-urban-campaign/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Fresh Fruit Portal}}