The Honeycrisp apple was produced through the apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota. The university created the Honeycrisp variety by cross-pollinating hundreds of trees until they perfected the sweet, crisp fruits. Honeycrisp is a relatively new cultivar, first being introduced in 1991. By 2006, the Honeycrisp apple had been named as the state fruit of Minnesota due to its widespread popularity. First Kiss is another popular cultivar produced by the University of Minnesota, created by crossing the Honeycrisp with an early-fruiting variety, AA44.