SPAR Austria and Frutura are trialling two rare heritage apple varieties in commercial orchards: the Ilzer Rosenapfel from Styria and the Falchs Gulderling from Tyrol. There are now 2,150 trees growing on a trial plot in Styria. Over the coming years, the partners will assess how well the varieties grow under modern conditions and whether they could be marketed regionally. In Austria, around 2,000 apple varieties are known, but only a few are grown commercially.

The SPAR Austria Bee Council, an interdisciplinary body dedicated to biodiversity, species diversity, and the preservation of heritage crops, initiated the project. Working with Styrian fruit and vegetable producer Frutura, the crop-diversity organisation ARCHE NOAH, and other experts, the council selected the two heritage apple varieties for testing under modern growing conditions.

From a few cuttings to more than 2,000 trees

The Ilzer Rosenapfel comes from a heritage orchard in Wagersbach, Styria. Cuttings of the Falchs Gulderling came from the Laimburg Research Centre in South Tyrol. These were grafted onto young apple trees to gradually increase their numbers.

This project began in 2023. Today, the trial orchard covers around 0.7 hectares and contains 1,300 Ilzer Rosenapfel trees and 850 Falchs Gulderling trees. The long-term aim is to expand the orchard to around one hectare, with up to 1,500 trees of each variety.

“Many consumers today are taking a greater interest in where their food comes from, which varieties are involved and what they taste like. For us, however, it is about more than that: biodiversity lays the foundation for diverse and sustainable agriculture and can also create new opportunities for regional value creation in the long term. That is why we want to find out whether the Ilzer Rosenapfel and the Falchs Gulderling can thrive in commercial fruit growing under today’s conditions. If we succeed, we would like to offer these special varieties regionally in selected SPAR stores in the future,” said Markus Kaser, Deputy Chairman of the SPAR Austria Board.

Initial findings from the trial orchard

The trial is monitoring tree growth, fruit quality, yield, disease resistance and shelf life. Early results show strong growth in the Ilzer Rosenapfel trees. The Falchs Gulderling trees have already produced large apples and their first yields. However, more years of trials are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about the long-term development of the varieties.

The first apples will be harvested this year. From late November 2026, both varieties will be sold exclusively at the INTERSPAR hypermarket Schottentor in Vienna while stocks last. Some of the harvest will be used for tastings, analysis and storage tests. Nurseries and schools in Styria will also receive apples from the project.

If the trial is successful, cultivation volumes will gradually increase, and the apples could become available at other selected SPAR stores in the region.

Source: SPAR Austria

Read more news from SPAR Austria.

About SPAR Austria

The origins of the SPAR brand in Austria date back to 1954. The current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company. Company-owned stores operate throughout the country as part of a multi-format retail strategy developed since the 1960s, whilst independent retailers operate under sub-licence from SPAR Austria and continue building the brand’s presence.