University of Minnesota awarded Pepin Heights Orchards exclusive marketing rights to grow and sell the 'Minneiska' apple.

They then in turn developed a cooperative of certain selected farm growers and sold rights to these members to produce the apple.

The concept of exclusive control of a variety of fruit was than a novelty in the United States, leading to lawsuits, which were later dismissed.

This has led to the search for hybrids that not only appeal to consumers are also less costly for farmers to cultivate and last longer in storage.

[13][19][20] The practice, called "managed variety" for high quality standards,[21] was a new concept to the United States when the apple was developed.

[13][14][19] In 2010, a lawsuit was filed challenging the legality of University of Minnesota selling exclusive rights to the new variety.

[26][27] The varietal denomination Minneiska has a Latin name of Malus domestica and its patent says in part that it was an exclusive new cultivar that was developed using grafting techniques.