This was going to be a full fledged review of a new apple called the Nikita apple…but it turns out it is just another name for the Kanzi apple. The first clue was that they rang up as the same item, like APPLE KANZI/NIKITA, at the checkout. And then I searched around and Orange Pippin did not fail me—they are the same. I don’t know how Nicoter turned into Nikita, or why the same apple variety is going by different names, but the Nikita/Nicoter apple is just a Kanzi in disguise.

The bag of Nikitas I picked up were smaller than regular Kanzis, but that can be chalked up to normal variation. I’ve had tiny Fujis and massive Fujis that could be as big as a baby’s head. The coloration was the same and the flavor was the same as a Kanzi. It’s the same apple! If you see the Nikita/Nicoter apples in stores, just think Kanzi and refer to that review. Unless you already know how you feel, of course.

Kind of disappointed I didn’t get to review a new apple, but what am I going to do? Well, eat what I have and be on the lookout for new kinds. Situation normal, then.

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Update 12/2019: Orange Pippin led me to the Nicoter ~= Kanzi association, but I’m still ?? on how Nikita came into existence at all…I still can’t find anything about ‘Nikita’. Maybe there’s some tangling of trademark, cultivar name, and translation involved?? If anyone, finds out, please contact me!

Update 03/2021: Belated update, but I learned that the Nicoter and Kanzi apples operate like the Cripps Pink and Pink Lady apples. So if the Nicoter apple doesn’t mean spec, it can’t be sold as a Kanzi—just as the Nicoter. Thanks to Avalon Growers Producer Organisation for sharing this information and the website visitor that led me to this!