Honeycrisp Apples So Damn Expensive?: Article Analysis

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The article, “Why Are Honeycrisp Apples So Damn Expensive?” discusses the science behind the taste and texture of the Honeycrisp Apple. Author, Elizabeth Gunnison Dunn, details the success of the Honeycrisp apple developed by David Bedford, Jim Luby, and their team, as part of the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center apple-breeding program in 1960. Furthermore, she identifies the two main reasons for the extravagant price of the Honeycrisp apple as being the degree of difficulty involved with cultivating it and consumer willingness to pay for a premium apple. The first economic idea that figures prominently in the article is supply and demand. Honeycrisp’s unique genetic variation, developed by cross-pollinating the Macoun and Honeygold apple, resulted in a distinct taste and texture desired by …show more content…

However, imposed growing standards originally set by the patent holder, the University of Minnesota, limits the number of Honeycrisp authorized growers and the number of apples they produce which resulted in an efficient level of supply output. Secondly, because of the evident product differentiation of the Honeycrisp Apple in comparison with other varieties on the market, the brand moved to the right on the competitive market structure continuum towards monopolistic competition (Schwartz, 2015). In addition, producing Honeycrisp Apples were profitable in the long run because such a move allowed growers to gain the leverage needed in setting prices at a higher level. Conversely, the success of the Honeycrisp Apple patent has led to what is referred to as “club apples”. The three top apple breeders, the University of Minnesota, Cornell University