AN APPLE A DAY | The WA apple that refuses to go brown when cut

When Benjamin Mercer set up his first fresh produce business in Western Australia in 1915, the state's population was barely 330,000 and refrigerated transport was a distant dream.

A century and a decade later, his great-grandchildren are running one of Perth Markets' most enduring family operations — and they're marketing a WA-bred apple variety to supermarkets as far as Hong Kong.

WA Farm Direct describes itself as a multi-generational company with the knowledge and experience gained over decades, and a family-run business with honest family values.

The fresh produce businesses have been owned and operated by the Mercer family for four generations.

The scope of the operation today would be unrecognisable to Mercer.

WA Farm Direct is a leading fresh fruit supplier, representing a range of premium brands in Australia and throughout the world, supplying apples, berries, stonefruit, grapes, citrus and mushrooms to the local market.

They also distribute throughout Australia and to export markets in the Middle East and Asia.

But it is the Bravo apple that has become the company's most distinctive calling card — and its most Western Australian story.

The apple variety ANABP 01 was bred in Western Australia, with commercial production occurring from 2016.

The deep burgundy skin colour with prominent lenticels is a feature of ANABP 01.

Bravo and Soluna apples are crisp and crunchy with a good balance between sugar and acid, and once cut, the creamy white flesh is slow to brown.

The slow-to-brown quality is more than a selling point. It has become a key differentiator in export markets where shelf life and presentation drive purchasing decisions.

The company's LinkedIn presence documents events in Singapore and Hong Kong where Bravo apples have been showcased to international buyers and hospitality venues.