The Sad Death Of The Grapple: The Apple And Grape 'Marriage'

At first thought, combining an apple and a grape seems like an incredibly tasty and delicious idea. The sugary sweetness of a grape combined with the satisfying crunch of an apple seems like the best of both worlds. Around twenty years ago, someone did just that. A fruit and nursery company in Wenatchee, Washington (which calls itself the "Apple Capital of the World"), patented the "Grapple" and its process in 2004. Grapples hit the stores soon after. Once this frankenfruit was debuted, there was a flurry of excitement over this novel curiosity. And why not? Other fruit hybrids had been introduced with great success: consider the grapefruit, the boysenberry, or seedless grapes. 

The Grapple inventors claimed this would make the youth eat more apples, and some flavor experts agreed, stating that children often associated grape smells with candy and sugar. The stronger scent and sugary taste would surely appeal to kids more than a boring, regular apple. But alas, the Grapple's success was short-lived. At first, fans of the fruit had assumed this was just another fruit hybrid, an incredible feat of science and flavor. But the jig was up when people began questioning the chemical process the apples underwent, and consumers began reporting allergens. Sadly, the Grapple wasn't a magical apple that would forever change children's lives and health. It was actually made by soaking Fuji or Gala apples (the sweetest apple varieties) for several days in a chemical bath that transformed their flavor into a sugary, sweet grape taste. 

Just what exactly was in this marinade that made tart apples taste like juicy grapes? The answer left many consumers uneasy. The marketing copy described bathing the apples in concentrated grape flavoring and water. As far as what made up the grape taste, Grapple makers claimed it was derived from natural and artificial flavoring. But a closer look at its patent reveals that the apples were dipped in a tank made up of methyl anthranilate, also known as methyl 2-aminobenzoate or carbomethoxyaniline. The impossible-to-pronounce ingredient was basically a chemical compound with a strong, fruity grape smell that's often used in Kool-Aid (not great), sunscreen precursor (huh?!), and a bird repellant (definitely not okay!). 

After two consumers reported an allergy to the fruit, the Grapple underwent allergen testing in 2007, which is not the greatest look for a new, fancy fruit. But it wasn't a complete bust; the inventor claims he managed to sell about 20 million of them in two years at around $3 to $6 for a 4-pack. However, as preferences for minimally processed and natural foods grew, the niche appeal of the fruit did not. By 2023, the Grapple had been discontinued, and its website was wiped. The company that invented the Grapple, one of the oldest-owned family businesses in Wenatchee, also shut down for good. For anyone hoping for an ironic revival of this gussied-up fruit, it seems this is one frankenfruit that won't be reborn.