This week's Journal will touch on the recent events going on now, and in the near future!
Next Tuesday 10th February the BAPL / NIAB apple and pear event takes place
The recent Fruit Logistica in Berlin
The Next Generation Fruit Group are on the way home from their visit to South Africa
BAPL Technical Day
Below: BAPL CEO Ali Capper
BAPL / Niab Apple and Pear Technical Day
The Mumford Building, Niab, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ
Tuesday 10 February 2026, 09.45am - 4.00pm
British Apples and Pears Ltd and Niab are hosting this technical day to inform the industry of some of the most important findings from BAPL funded and other research projects.
The event will take place at The Mumford Building at Niab's East Malling research site. For those unable to attend in person, a video link will be set up to allow delegates to attend remotely.
Fruit Logistica Prompur variety and L50 drone win top prizes in Berlin, as voted by visitors to Fruit Logistica 2026 in Berlin
A new variety of apple that can be eaten by those who would otherwise suffer an allergic reaction to the fruit, and a high-performance drone which can spray crops over wide areas, have bagged this year's much-coveted Fruit Logistica Innovation Awards (FLIA) in Berlin.
In the Fresh Produce FLIA category, first prize went to Pompur, an allergy-friendly apple brand developed by the ZuchtungsInitiative Niederelbe (ZIN), based near Hamburg.
The crisp, red apple is the first in the world to be certified by the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (Ecarf), and provides an alternative for sufferers of birch-apple syndrome, an allergy that is surprisingly prevalent in central and northern Europe.
The Pompur team picks up its prize
"We have created a product that gives many people access to apples that they previously couldn't enjoy," said ZIN managing director Maik Stolken.
"In Germany alone, there are between 3.5mn and 4mn people with this allergy."
He added: "Our apple hasn't come this far just because it's allergen-free.
It also simply tastes good. Today, we are celebrating the result of 20 years of development work."
The Next Generation Fruit Group are on the way home from their visit to South Africa
The Next Generation Fruit Group have just returned from their visit to South Africa. "It brings back memories for me of the last visit a decade ago when; "as the precursor to Next Generation FG The Under 40's Fruit Group celebrated 50 years of the U40's by visiting South Africa and importantly, the first time the group visited the Southern Hemisphere!
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, The 2017 Under 40's committee led by Chairman Charlie Dunn 'broke the mould' and organised the first Conference in the Southern Hemisphere in South Africa.
Click on: Under 40's Fruit Group visit South Africa in 2017
In 2019 the committee led by Chair Emily Cliff set off for Chile and when the 2021 committee took over the reins, a desire to take the U40's format onto a new level was born!
Click on: The English Apple Man NextGen Fruit Group
Below: 2026 Next Generation Fruit Group in South Africa
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man