Moscow

Moscow is huge, big enough now to have growing demand for unique items like the Grapple apple, not to mention California air-freighted stone fruit and a small but slowly growing base of organic items. While the ultra high end premium retail niche has a different order list than discount retailers in Russia, sources said even some discount importers are beginning to regularly stock U.S. apples and pears. One importer said consumers like the appearance, quality and taste of Washington apples. It is at least in some part the eye candy effect; an easy comparison with European fruit is that Washington apples are waxed while European apples are not.