Red Delicious remains the single largest variety produced in the state, but others are ascending in market share as rapidly as Red Delicious is dropping, notably Fuji and Gala. The reliance on Red Delicious helped push Washington's apple industry to the edge in the late 1990s and into this decade. read more
Decades ago when I was a child, there were just a few types of apples available in US groceries. The Red Delicious apples were much firmer and sweeter than most of those you find today. Over the years, they have been bred to look better and hold up better while being transported. read more
But not for the first time in apple lore, one sweet taste precipitated a fall. Stark Brothers’ soon secured the rights to the Hawkeye, changed its name to the Stark Delicious (only after the branding of the Golden Delicious, in 1914, did it become the Red Delicious), and began an ambitious marketing campaign. read more