SweeTango

{{Infobox cultivar

| name = SweeTango

| image = SweeTango apples.jpg

| cultivar = Minneiska

| origin = {{flagicon|USA}} University of Minnesota, 1991

}}

SweeTango is the brand name of the cultivated apple Minneiska, a hybrid between the Honeycrisp and the Zestar apples belonging to the University of Minnesota. The apple is controlled and regulated for marketing, allowing only exclusive territories for growing. It has a sweet-tart taste that some food writers have described as something between brown sugar and spiced apple cider.

University of Minnesota awarded Pepin Heights Orchards exclusive marketing rights to grow and sell the 'Minneiska' apple. They then in turn developed a cooperative of certain selected farm growers and sold rights to these members to produce the apple. It was exclusive at first to the state of Minnesota and later membership was expanded to certain qualifying farmers, mostly to growers of the northern parts of the United States. The concept of exclusive control of a variety of fruit was then a novelty in the United States, leading to lawsuits, which were later dismissed.

Background

File:SweeTango apple harvest 2010.jpg.]]

Introduced in 1991 by the University of Minnesota, the Honeycrisp has become one of the most popular apple varieties in the United States. However, it is also notoriously difficult to cultivate and has a taste that fades after long storage. This has led to the search for hybrids that not only appeal to consumers are also less costly for farmers to cultivate and last longer in storage.{{Cite news |last=Karp |first=David |date=November 3, 2015 |title=Beyond the Honeycrisp Apple |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/04/dining/beyond-the-honeycrisp-apple.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230815200005/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/04/dining/beyond-the-honeycrisp-apple.html |archive-date=August 15, 2023 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=The New York Times}} The Minneiska is a hybrid of two other apple varieties the university developed – the 'Honeycrisp' and the 'Minnewashta' (brand name Zestar!) – produced by the Minneiska tree. This new apple variety was given the brand name SweeTango.{{sfn|Woodler|2015|pages=12–13}} It was refined by University of Minnesota in 1999 from a grafted tree of 1988, and released in 2006. It became publicly available in 2007.

The name is a registered trademark owned by University of Minnesota. In 2000, the new apple variety was known during development by the identifier MN 1914. It was created by University of Minnesota's plant development program at their Horticultural Research Center.

Agriculture

The 'Minneiska' apple has a texture similar to its parents, the Minnewashta and Honeycrisp apples (its parents), with a slightly tart fall spicy citric quality. The concentrated flavors are "more complex than the Honeycrisp"; author Amy Traverso compared the apple's flavor to "spiced apple cider".{{sfn|Traverso|2011|page=58}}

Exclusive rights

File:Sweetango logo.jpg

The University of Minnesota awarded exclusive marketing rights to grow, have others raise, and sell the 'Minneiska' apple cultivar and any mutations to Minnesota's largest apple orchard, Pepin Heights Orchards of Lake City, Minnesota. The orchard in turn in 2006 established a 45-member grower's cooperative named Next Big Thing. These commercial growers were originally only in the state of Minnesota. An exception was granted to Minnesota orchard growers for plantings in very small amounts.

The cooperative later branched out and allowed members from Michigan, Washington, New York and a few other northern states.{{sfn|Woodler|2015|page=19}} By 2010, this cooperative included farmers from Quebec and Nova Scotia, Canada.{{Cite news |date=December 29, 2010 |title=N.S. apple growers seek SweeTango success |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/n-s-apple-growers-seek-sweetango-success-1.867361 |access-date=February 21, 2025 |work=CBC News}} The apple could not be grown by non-members. Members, who pay royalties for a license on producing the 'Minneiska' trees, can sell the apple only through the cooperative. The practice, called "managed variety" for high quality standards, was a new concept to the United States when the apple was developed.

The practice implementation has attracted criticism due to its development through a public research institution. In 2010, a lawsuit was filed challenging the legality of University of Minnesota selling exclusive rights to the new variety. However, the Fourth Judicial District Court of Minnesota ruled in 2012 that, "Minnesota’s antitrust and monopoly laws do not apply to its land-grant university." The SweeTango is one of the first commercially available apple varieties to have been trademarked.{{Cite news |last=Drost |first=Philip |date=November 16, 2024 |title=These aren't your Granny's Smiths: Why we have more apple varieties than ever before |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/new-apple-varieties-1.7383868 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=CBC News |department=Cost of Living}}

Genetics

File:U. S. Patent US PP18,812 P3.jpg

The trademark belongs to University of Minnesota for its apple fruit of the Minneiska cultivar. The patent number was obtained on May 13, 2008, by research scientist breeders David S. Bedford and James J. Luby. The varietal denomination Minneiska has a Latin name of Malus domestica and its patent says in part that it was an exclusive new cultivar that was developed using grafting techniques.{{sfn|United States Plant Patents|2008|page=10}}

In 2008, the variety was patented by the university, the same year its patent for the Honeycrisp expired in the United States.

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite news |title=Better than Honeycrisp? SweeTango apples hit Michigan Meijer and Wal-Mart stores this week |date=September 13, 2011 |last=Parker |first=Rosemary |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/09/better_than_honeycrisp_sweetan.html |access-date=January 18, 2012 |work=MLive |publisher=MLive Media Group |archive-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214061503/http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/09/better_than_honeycrisp_sweetan.html |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |first=Leila |last=Navidi |title=First Kiss was long labor of love |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57377854/ |work=Star Tribune |page=A15 |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |date=September 16, 2018 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143554/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57377854/star-tribune/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite news |first=Leila |last=Navidi |title=Apple growers set to release SweeTango |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57385035/ |work=The Herald |page=19 |location=Jasper, Indiana |date=September 3, 2009 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143603/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57385035/the-herald/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite news |first= Lee Svitak |last= Dean |title=Minnesota's apple Family Tree |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57250685/ |work=Star Tribune |page=E5 |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |date=September 20, 2015 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} }}

{{cite news |first=Susan |last= Taylor |title=The age of the Apple |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57385350/ |work=Chicago Tribune |page=6-1 |location=Chicago, Illinois |date=September 14, 2011 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143603/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57385350/chicago-tribune/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite news |first= Donna |last= Vickroy |title=The honeycrisp's amazing appeal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57274095/ |work=Southtown Star |page=69 |location=Tinley Park, Illinois |date=October 1, 2009 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} }}

{{cite news |title=Let's do the ... Organic SweeTango! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57348819/ |work=The Sacramento Bee |page=A19 |location=Sacramento, California |date=September 20, 2015 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143556/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57348819/the-sacramento-bee/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite news |first=Steve |last= Karnowski |title=The Next Big Thing / Apple growers sweet on new variety |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57200272/ |work=The Advocate-Messenger |page=4 |location=Danville, Kentucky |date=September 8, 2009 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143619/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57200272/the-advocate-messenger/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite news |title=Forbidden Fruit A new apple, the SweeTango, at center of controversy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57201572/ |work=Leader-Telegram |page=A5 |location=Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date=August 30, 2010 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} |access-date=August 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143557/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57201572/leader-telegram/ |url-status=live }}

{{cite web |title=Patents by inventor David S. Bedford |url=https://patents.justia.com/inventor/david-s-bedford |publisher=Justia, 2020 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143556/https://patents.justia.com/inventor/david-s-bedford |url-status=live}}

{{cite web |title=Crunch / Building a better apple by John Seabrook |date=November 14, 2011 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/21/crunch |publisher=Conde Nest, 2020 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730011805/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/21/crunch |url-status=live}}

{{cite web |title=Minnesota Hardy / Sweetango |url=https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/fruit/apples/sweetango |publisher=University of Minnesota / Minnesota Agricultural Experimental Station, 2020 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716191158/https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/fruit/apples/sweetango |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Hubbuch |title=Forbidden Fruit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57198095/ |work=The La Crosse Tribune |page=1 |location=La Crosse, Wisconsin |date=August 29, 2010 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} }}

{{cite news |title=Which is the apple of your eye |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57196231/ |work=The Baltimore Sun |page=C2 |location=Baltimore, Maryland |date=October 14, 2009 |via=Newspapers.com {{open access}} }}

{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/21/111121fa_fact_seabrook |magazine=The New Yorker |title=Crunch: Building a better apple |first=John |last=Seabrook |date=November 21, 2011 |access-date=September 26, 2013 |archive-date=October 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003053643/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/21/111121fa_fact_seabrook |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142518957/managed-apple-creates-a-buzz |publisher=National Public Radio |work= All Things Considered |title=Crunch: 'Managed' Apple Creates A Buzz |first=John |last=Seabrook |date=November 18, 2011 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119181926/https://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142518957/managed-apple-creates-a-buzz |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Next Big Thing is new co-op for marketing MN1914 apple |date=2020 |url=http://fruitgrowersnews.com/index.php/magazine/article/Next-Big-Thing-Is-New-Co-op-for-Marketing-MN1914-Apple |work=Fruit Growers News |publisher=Great American Media Services |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201150504/http://fruitgrowersnews.com/index.php/magazine/article/Next-Big-Thing-Is-New-Co-op-for-Marketing-MN1914-Apple |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Litigants settle SweeTango dispute |date=November 2011 |url=http://fruitgrowersnews.com/index.php/magazine/article/litigants-settle-sweetango-dispute |work=Fruit Growers News |publisher=Great American Media Services |access-date=January 18, 2014 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201150700/http://fruitgrowersnews.com/index.php/magazine/article/litigants-settle-sweetango-dispute |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Honeycrisp apple losing its patent protection, but not its appeal |last=Olson |first=Dan |date=October 21, 2007 |location=Minneapolis, MN |access-date=January 18, 2014 |work=MPR News |url=http://www.mprnews.org/story/2007/10/11/honeycrisp |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202105302/http://www.mprnews.org/story/2007/10/11/honeycrisp |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=SK |first2=KE |last2=Maloney |title=Making sense of new apple varieties, trademarks and clubs: current status |work=New York Fruit Quarterly |location=New York |volume=17 |issue=3 |year=2009 |pages=9–12 |url=http://www.nyshs.org/pdf/fq/09fall/NYFQ-FALL-09-pp-9-12.pdf |access-date=January 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025838/http://www.nyshs.org/pdf/fq/09fall/NYFQ-FALL-09-pp-9-12.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016 }}

{{cite news |last=Harler |first=Curt |title=Lawsuit over apple marketing agreement |work=Growing Magazine |date=February 2012 |publisher=Moose River Media LLC |url=http://www.growingmagazine.com/print-6483.aspx |access-date=January 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203050955/http://www.growingmagazine.com/print-6483.aspx |archive-date=February 3, 2014 }}

{{cite press release |title=SweeTango(R) apple crop triples in 2011 |date=August 12, 2011 |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/12/idUS171823+12-Aug-2011+MW20110812 |access-date=January 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201195757/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/12/idUS171823+12-Aug-2011+MW20110812 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/08622-complete.pdf |title=Minnesota Hardy, p. 26 |access-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322131931/http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/08622-complete.pdf |archive-date=March 22, 2012 }}

}}

Sources

{{cite book |last=Traverso |first=Amy |title=The Apple Lover's Cookbook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TYHhAAAAQBAJ&dq=The+sweetango+holds+up+well+in+cooking&pg=PA58 |date=2011 |publisher=W. W. Norton and Company|isbn=9780393241846 }}
{{cite book |title=United States Plant Patents |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4olqf1Ifcv8C&q=%22Malus%20domestica%22%20 |date=2008 |publisher=United States Patent & Trademark Office |oclc=27833628 |ref= {{harvid|United States Plant Patents|2008}} }}
{{cite book |last=Woodler |first=Olwen |title=The Apple Cookbook / 125 Freshly Picked Recipes |edition=Third |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9nnCQAAQBAJ&dq=Sweetango+Minneiska+Honeycrisp++Zestar!&pg=PT12 |date=2015 |publisher=Storey Publishings |isbn=9781612125190}}

External links

[https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/10/12/497697621/episode-627-the-miracle-apple "The Miracle Apple"] podcast at Planet Money (14 mins, 2016)

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Category:Apple cultivars

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