New Apple Has a New Name — Say Hello To ‘Sunflare’

Washington State University’s (WSU) newest apple, ‘WA 64’, has an official brand name: ‘Sunflare’. Announced by WSU apple breeder Kate Evans last month at the Northwest Horticulture Expo at Yakima, WA, the new name resulted from a public contest that drew more than 15,000 responses.

“Our breeding program exists to give consumers better apples to eat, and ‘Sunflare’ checks all our boxes,” Evans says.

A tart, crunchy, juicy cross of ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Cripps Pink’—better known under the trademark name ‘Pink Lady’ — ‘Sunflare’ apples are slated to reach grocery stores in 2029.

Thousands of name entries were winnowed down by WSU faculty and staff as well as public focus groups of apple lovers. The university sought a creative, distinctive name that consumers will remember and link positively with the apple. ‘Sunflare’ won in part by best reflecting the apple’s physical qualities.

Winning contestant Ryan Escarcega, a food service salesperson and chef from Centralia, WA, was inspired by the variety’s bright hues as well as the powerful solar storms that sparked northern lights visible across North America this spring.

‘Sunflare’ is the third apple to emerge from the WSU breeding program, which launched ‘Cosmic Crisp’ in 2019.

WSU holds a patent on ‘WA 64’ and has filed trademark applications for the ‘Sunflare’ brand name. The university selected International New-Varieties Network LLC to manage sales of licensed ‘WA 64’ trees and budwood to growers and has organized an advisory committee of marketing company representatives to license and market the variety to grocers. This committee will help develop a trademarked logo, color palette, and brand look and feel.

For more, continue reading at news.cahnrs.wsu.edu.