Tastee Apple’s extensive quality control process is very hands on and eyes on. This is how we ensure that no apple earns the Tastee label unless it as fresh and perfect as it can be for your complete enjoyment and 100% satisfaction (our guarantee). From our state-of-the-art processing facilities in Ohio, we have been crafting the #1 selling Caramel Apple for four decades—that’s about 290 million apples sold! But it’s quality that we are most concerned with.
That’s why each and every Tastee Apple has not only a generous coating of our mouth-watering caramel and lots of other complimentary confections, but the most important ingredient of all: family pride.
Step 1: Selecting
Because it would be virtually impossible to self-grow all of the sizes and types of apples we depend upon to make the best quality products, we partner with some of the country’s finest and most reputable apple growers. We are so choosy about the apples we pick, we use cutting edge camera technology to inspect every apple. Our camera system takes 20 color and IR pictures of each apple to inspect for size, cuts, bruises, and other defects. The camera system rejects up to 10% of the apples we receive. These apples aren’t used, however; they find a good home with other companies who find them marketable for their purposes or need raw apples for juice or cider.
Step 2: Testing
A trained eye can tell a lot of about an apple just by feeling and looking at it, including type, size, and potential damage or decay. Whereas most—if not all—of our competitors are satisfied to stop there, Tastee goes a critical step further. That last thing we want is for our customers to bite into an apple that’s not perfect. By that, we mean either hard (not ripe enough) or mushy (overripe)! So we measure the firmness of our fruit to determine which meet apples meet our crispness requirements and which do not. Only those that pass go on to Step 3.
Step 3: Cleansing
Tastee Apple recognizes that reducing food safety risks is a responsibility shared by everyone involved in the food system. We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously. In addition to keeping our facilities immaculate, we follow a very thorough process to ensure that the fruit we use is clean. This includes water washing and brushing, as well as sanitizing, while demonstrating the utmost diligence to prevent bruising and maintain the integrity of the fruit.
STEP 4: Protecting
Tastee Apple utilizes bioprotection technology to protect each apple. A probiotic mixture of selected strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria or "Good Bacteria" are applied to the apples following washing and sanitizing. These "Good Bacteria" have the ability to reduce potential pathogen growth on the apples, even after they've been shipped, providing continual protection for the consumer.
Step 5: Decorating
Next, our shiny clean perfectly ripe apples are “sticked” and readied for the decorating process. You probably already know that every Tastee Apple is dipped in one very special ingredient: our made-from-scratch, small-batch, kettle-cooked caramel. After the caramel-enrobed apple cools, we take the next steps, depending on the type of apple we are creating for our discerning customers. Our Fantasy Gourmet Apples get rolled in lots of goodies, like milk and white chocolate morsels and fresh peanuts or pecans. Our Super Premium Gourmet Apples, after being coated with caramel, are also hand-dipped in premium milk, dark or white chocolate, then tumbled in yummy nuts, chocolate morsels or pretzels. After that, they are drizzled in more chocolate. Our traditional Caramel Apples are generously dressed, too, to enable customers to enjoy four great varieties (Caramel, Candy, Turtle, and Jelly, as well as Plain Caramel).
Step 6: Packing
Each finished Tastee Apple is carefully packaged for optimal product freshness and protection. The packaging design of our Fantasy Gourmet Apples and Super Premium Gourmet Apples are pretty enough to gift!
Step 7: Shipping
After spending a very short time in our 45-degree warehouse, Tastee Apples are on their way to your local grocery store, in refrigerated trucks, usually arriving in 24 hours or less! When refrigerated at home after purchase, Tastee Fantasy Gourmet Apples can last up to 45 days; Tastee Super Premium Gourmet Apples can last up to 30 days; Tastee Caramel Apples can last up to two weeks.
Step 8: Enjoying
The best step of all, we leave completely up to you!