A couple months ago, I was in the produce section of my local grocery store when I walked past the fruit aisle and was overcome with a very strong aroma of grapes. I looked down and saw what appeared to be a bin of apples packaged in plastic containers. However, the label on it said “Grapple” and upon further investigation I learned that they are actually Fuji apples that tastes like a grape.
I generally don’t like the idea of messing around with mother nature but curiosity got the better of me. At first I thought theses apples had been genetically modified to taste like a grape but it turns out that they aren’t genetically modified at all. They are simply infused with grape flavouring. Now why would anyone want to do that? Why would you take a perfectly good apple and make it taste like a grape? If you like grapes, why not just eat grapes?
Grapples are packaged in plastic containers that contain four grapples per container. The cost is $4.99 for a package of 4 (or $1.25/grapple). Compare that cost to a regular Fuji apple which costs around $0.65 (depending on the season). The grapple is one expensive (albeit designer) fruit.
Taste testers:
Please try the grapple and comment on whether you taste more apple flavour, more grape flavour or something in between. Do you like it? Would you buy it?
Thank you everyone for submitting your comments. The majority of people didn’t find the grape flavour to be all that authentic. Most people could definitely smell the grape aroma but when they bit into it, tasted mostly apple (albeit a very sweet apple).
The majority of our panelists would choose to just have a regular apple and not pay the premium for an grapple. Grapples are definitely an interesting concept from a novelty food standpoint.
For more information on the process of making these grapples, check out this video for a more detailed explanation.
I think this “grapple” smells like a grape popsicle, but it still tastes like an apple. I don’t care for it and wouldn’t buy it. With a name like “grapple” I expected something that looks and tastes a little more exciting!
Strange! There was such a strong scent of “grape candy” flavour when I smelt the apple slice… not appealing to me personally. I also don’t like the taste either… just leaves a funny aftertaste. Like I just ate a grape gummy candy. Pass!!!
One of them definitely doesn’t taste like apple! It’s sweet and I guess you can compare it to a grape. Definitely a novelty food. I wouldn’t pay that price on a regular basis but the odd time for something different or for entertaining I might. Thanks Lisa!
Maybe it’s just me but the grapple still tasted like an apple to me but with a funny aftertaste. Personally I wouldn’t buy it. I didn’t like it that much.
I think I definitely tasted more grape flavour. Or maybe it was because the grape smell was very strong that I thought I tasted more grape. The first piece I ate had a stronger grape taste than the second piece. They were very sweet. I didn’t mind it but I probably wouldn’t buy them because if I wanted to taste grape flavour I would just buy grapes!
When I first bit into the grapple, my initial thought was that it just tasted like a regular Fuji apple (nice and sweet). However, the more I chewed the more I could taste the grape flavour. The way that I would describe it is that it tastes like an apple for the most part but the juice tastes like grape juice (which makes sense from the way it’s produced).
The apple is definitely sweeter that average. However, I don’t think that treating apples this way is necessary (and it left a sweet after taste/feeling in my mouth long afterwards). I would opt for just a regular apple or regular grapes.
It feels like a funky mad scientist apple to me. As if the Koolaid man gave birth to these apples and we just ate them on the spot. The aroma is extremely candy-like and the finish on the apple is extra sweet. For me, it’s cool and weird at the same time. I have the same feeling as you Lise, I’d prefer just a “normal” apple to eat, but I want to eat this grapple because they chemically altered it. Like eating a steak that tastes like chicken.
I didn’t notice ANY difference, it tasted just like a regular apple to me! So I definitely wouldn’t purchase these deluxe apples.. 🙂
I found them packaged as a bag of small Fuji apples in a local Publix; nothing about grapples on the label. They smell a little like grape drink and taste nothing like grapes. Next time I will smell before I buy. Plain Fujis are much better.
Had a slight grape smell but tasted like a normal but very sweet apple. I was disappointed.