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How we got from Red Delicious to Honeycrisp apples : Planet Money Today on the show, how we got from mealy, nasty apples to apples that taste delicious. The story starts with a breeder who discovered a miracle apple. But discovering that apple wasn't enough.

Planet Money

The miracle apple (Classic)

By 

Dan Charles

, 

Jacob Goldstein

The miracle apple (Classic)

Listen · 13:52
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The photos of the apples in the store were in a supermarket in Excelsior, MN.
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Dan Charles / NPR
The photos of the apples in the store were in a supermarket in Excelsior, MN.
Dan Charles / NPR

Note: This episode originally aired in 2015

For a long time, pretty much every apple in the grocery store looked and tasted the same, and they weren't very good.

Today on the show, how we got from mealy, nasty apples to apples that actually taste delicious. The story starts with a breeder who discovered a miracle apple. But discovering that apple was not enough.

Music: "Rubbery Bounce" "Behind the Scenes" and "Marvellous Vibe."

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