Is it a pear or an apple? No it's the 'papple'... but it costs a £1 a pop at M&S
Hybrid fruit tastes like an apple but has skin and texture of a pear
Experts hope to grow fruit in UK from 2015
By Chris Parsons
PUBLISHED: 09:23 GMT, 22 May 2012 | UPDATED: 10:40 GMT, 22 May 2012
It has the softer skin and texture of a pear, but anyone who bites into this fruit in for a surprise.
New Zealand fruit experts have unveiled their latest fruit hybrid creation on its way to the UK - an apple-like fruit which looks like a pear.
The rounded fleshy fruit described as a pear disguised as an apple has yet to be given an official name, though some have inevitably dubbed the creation the 'papple'.
Apple in disguise: The 'papple' has to softer appearance of a pear, but apparently tastes like an apple
Marks and Spencer say the New Zealand-grown papples will go on sale for £1 each
The papple, which is officially a member of the pear family, will go on sale in the UK next week at Marks and Spencer.
Fruit buyers used to the price of apples and pears may baulk at the value of papples however, as the novelty products will cost £1 each when they hit the shelves.
The papple is being referred to as T109 until its official name is decided, a spokeswoman said.
M&S fruit expert Shazad Rehman said: 'This is one of the most exciting new varieties of fruit we have seen for several years.
'We know our customers like to try new and interesting fruit and we hope this will be something they will really enjoy.'
T109 is grown in New Zealand and is a cross between European and Asian pear varieties, which resulted in a fruit similar to an apple, the retailer said.
Mr Rehman said: 'It’s got a lovely refreshing taste, perfect for snacking on, and a fun alternative to an apple a day.'
M&S hopes to grow the pear in the UK from 2015.
PAPPLES, GRAPPLES AND PINEBERRIES: OTHER HYBRID FRUITS
The papple is the latest hybrid fruit creation to hit British supermarkets.
Last year garden centres took stock of the 'pineberry' - a white strawberry-like fruit said to have the tropical taste of a pineapple.
And earlier last year a Washington-based fruit grower unveiled the 'grapple', a fruit which looked and crunched like a regular apple, but tasted like a grape.
The phenonenom for fruit tampering has even spread further afield, with Israeli horticulturalists creating a 'black galaxy' crossbreed of tomato which had almost-black skin.
