Northwest Cherries estimate 150,000 tons in round one crop report

The Northwest Cherry Growers of Yakima, WA, released its round-one estimate of the 2022 cherry crop –– estimating 150,000 tons of cherries or 15 million 20-pound boxes for the season. This initial report had been pushed back a week due to the unusually cool spring temperatures felt across the Northwest.

“How many times have we started off this annual email with some variation on the phrase, ‘every cherry season will be unique,’” said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherries. 2022 certainly looks to be just that — highly unusual –– as April brought snowfall to cherry blossoms and suspended blooms due to persistently cold temperatures.

Even with the atypical report, Thurlby said, “cherries in the earliest districts, namely those that had already gone through bloom by the time the first snow arrived appear to be doing well.” The early-season crop is reportedly developing beautifully but slowly. Thurlby conferred confidence in Northwest growers: “When the weather isn't exceptional, growers are well equipped to keep at least most of their crops safe through the spring storms” –– noting they are a resilient and persistent group.

“Perhaps the oddest thing about the 2021 bloom is the period of suspended animation that occurred,” said Thurlby. While the snow caused damage to most of the open flowers, unopened buds in growing regions removed from the extreme cold appear to have waited until temperatures warmed before continuing their bloom. “This helped some flowers survive but created time gaps of up to a week or more within individual trees and/or orchards,” said Thurlby.

Northwest Cherry Growers reports one of the biggest challenges in the immediate future is the need for an extended period of warm weather to activate bee activity and pollination. Thurlby said, “Unfortunately, the periods of warmth and sunshine across much of the Northwest have been shuffled in with storm fronts and cool periods.” He explained that these inconsistent windows of temperature have allowed bees to jumpstart some orchards or limited the pollinator's ability to find viable cherry blooms to pollinate. “These two factors alone have made the estimation process particularly data-intensive this year as we attempt to draw an accurate bead on the crop to come,” said Thurlby.

Ideal weather pre-season had the Northwest on track for an early kickoff. The April anomaly, however, will transform the season with some districts starting early and others finishing late. Thurlby said, “this bodes well for both early- and late-season cherry supplies for the shelves.”

Northwest Cherry Growers reports the earliest growers are expecting to begin harvest on May 28 into the first week of June. Thurlby said, “as always, it takes our industry at least 10 days to begin to build up to larger volumes,” and noted this early-season volume should allow cherry-focused retailers to transition smoothly from the California crop.

Regarding volume throughout the season, Thurlby said, “our harvest progression is an echo of our bloom, which makes the size of the middle portion of our crop today's biggest question mark.” Northwest Cherry Growers said this year’s Bing crop was the hardest hit, along with orchards within local cold pockets.

Thurlby noted caution with charting an early projection from the round one data and cited the 2012-14 seasons where crop curvature showed a larger second peak coming from the later varieties and districts. Thurlby said, “We expect to see the daily shipment volumes increase and finish out July with a stronger second half.”

“Though not as large as some recent seasons, the 2022 crop is still a promotable cherry crop and too valuable to be re-allocated to a hidden away display,” said Thurlby. Citing a 2009 Northwest Cherry Growers study, Thurlby said, “that even in recessionary times, fresh sweet cherries from the Northwest were the No. 1 dollar-per-square-foot item in the summer produce department.”

While acknowledging the unusually cold spring season and current economic stress on American consumers, Thurlby affirmed the position of Northwest cherries in summer grocery produce departments. He said, “Cherries are a stalwart of summer displays and over-perform for their space, doubling what grapes produced in an audit of departments across the U.S. last season.”

Cherries are statistically an impulse item, where “nearly three out of every four bags sold is purchased individually from a brick-and-mortar store shelf,” said Thurlby. Even in a down or shortened season retailers need to be ready. “Online shoppers are a full one-third more likely to buy two bags of cherries at a time, and are 400 percent more likely to buy three or more bags.”

Even if round one went to Mother Nature, Northwest Cherry Growers is optimistic about the length of the season and how it will progress. Thurlby concluded, “as of today, there appear to remain promotable opportunities for what should be a crop of dessert-quality fruit.”

Article by Kyle Eberth, The Produce News

Northwest cherry crop report delayed due to inclement weather

The initial crop estimate for Northwest cherries will be delayed at least a week, due to the unusually cool weather experienced mid-April, according to Northwest Cherries of Yakima, WA.

The Pacific Northwest saw uncharacteristically low temperatures the week leading up to the Easter holiday, where orchards in Wenatchee, WA, saw over 16 inches of snow and record lows dropping to 26 degrees overnight, shattering previously held April records.

Orchard survey teams, working throughout all Northwest growing regions, have yet to compile usable data to estimate potential crop size. “Unfortunately, the ultra-cool spring weather across the Northwest has our estimators waiting for the little green cherries to show themselves,” said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherries.

“The near-unanimous consensus is that at least another week will be needed in order to get even close to an accurate understanding of the crop,” said Thurlby. Northwest Cherries called for patience and as one grower stated, “Mother Nature is the biggest shareholder in the operation.” Based on the survey reports from their field teams, Northwest Cherries has rescheduled the release of the Round 1 crop estimate for the week of May 9.

While the cold weather was worrisome, Thurlby said “it appears there are some nice early district cherries emerging.”

The mid-April cold streak delayed the cherry “drop” period, where the fruit must finish splitting through their shucks. Historically, Northwest cherries would have already passed this stage, allowing for a more accurate look at the early-season crop.

Thurlby said, “Northwest Cherries has updated their estimated date of harvest to the first week of June.”

Thurlby and James Michael, vice president of marketing for Northwest Cherries, remain optimistic: “Part of what makes our crop so resilient, and stable is also what makes it so difficult to estimate in extreme weather scenarios such as this,” said Michael.

The team at Northwest Cherries has myriad analytical tools at their disposal. Their heat map data show the degree departures from freezing across all 33 growing regions, coupled with historical analysis comparing cumulative Growing Degree Days year-over-year, shows 2022 currently well behind all but two of the past eight years.

The key, however, as Michael explained, “is not all growing regions are the same –– bloom was well under way in many regions [before the cold hit] and there is every reason to believe that there will be windows of the season where volume will allow for promotions.”

Northwest Cherries in partnership with the research team at Category Partners conducted online and in-store audits during the 2021 peak cherry season comparing cherry and grape categories. Thurlby said, “cherries continue to reign supreme in total dollar-per-square-foot despite often having 53 percent less space than the grape category.”

“Previous reports conveyed cherries were the only summer fruit shown to have a strong statistical correlation between an increase of shelf space and an increase in sales dollars,” said Thurlby.

While the industry awaits the initial report from Northwest Cherries’ field teams, cherry growers remain optimistic, patient and resolute in the resiliency of their orchards and the teams that work them.

Article by Kyle Eberth, The Produce News

Low Temps, Record Snowfall Mark 2022 Northwest Cherry Bloom

Recent severe weather in the Northwest has raised concerns over the 2022 cherry crop; however, growers remain optimistic. Low temperatures have been recorded across all cherry-growing regions with some districts reporting lower than 30 degrees fahrenheit. Wenatchee, WA, tied a 1986 record of 26 degrees for April as well as a record 16 inches snowfall for April, obliterating the previous record of half an inch. While the unseasonable snow is shocking to say the least, low night temperatures are the major concern.

Industry experts agree that it’s too early for an accurate assessment of how the overnight lows may affect the cherry crop, given the fact that several cold nights are still expected through the weekend. “We know it will have some effect on cherries because areas that harvest in the June timing were in bloom during this time and pollination conditions were not ideal,” said Brianna Shales, marketing director for Stemilt Growers.

“We won’t understand the full effects until bloom finishes and the cherries set for this timeframe,” Shales said, adding that they expect the cold to delay bloom and subsequent harvest timing at orchards in higher elevations that are not in bloom at this time. These ranches will take longer to break out of dormancy and bloom.

Northwest cherry growers are a tenacious crew, however, and have been well prepared for the recent weather. “It seems we go a few years without a major frost event that covers the whole state and everyone forgets,” said Dan Davis, director of business development for Starr Ranch Growers. “This is why we have wind machines on all sites, and under-tree and over-tree watering systems deployed as needed.”

Davis reported that the company would be evaluating the full effects of cold temperatures toward the end of next week. “We’ll see what was damaged and what remained viable, and eventually we’ll see what pollinates when the bees get back to flying in the sun.”  

Of greater concern may be the additional costs required to keep cherry blooms warm this year. “Right now a big concern is that growers may be in the situation where they are able to save their crop with countermeasures, which are always expensive. Add to that other growing expenses, the cost of which have already drastically increased,” said James Michael, vice president of marketing for Northwest Cherry Growers.

“A weather incident of only a couple degrees can mean the difference between a successful season and a loss of the crop. You never wish to lose it, but if you’re an early season grower that's your one chance — your ability to keep going is being able to get a return. With record inflation at the grocery store challenging American consumers' decision making process, this puts serious pressure on growers.”

It’s a long season, however, and cold temperatures are “just the first challenge we face. We will have cherries, apples and pears,” Davis concluded. “This is just what we do, we will still grow a crop.”

Article by Adam Campbell, The Produce News

Worth The Hype – Build Anticipation For Cherries

Locked-down consumers reentering the shopping world will seek fresh flavors – cherries being a sweet favorite. 

One of the only truly seasonal items left in the produce department, cherries, represent the ideal retail promotion since shoppers eagerly await the May-September season. Domestic availability is followed by imports from Chile between November and February. This second wave helps raise familiarity and gives retailers continued opportunities to build on demand.

“Now that cherries are here from Chile in the winter, they’re available for six to seven months. So although still seasonal, they’re not the mystery they used to be,” remarks Mac Riggan, director of marketing at Chelan Fresh Marketing, Chelan, WA. “Chile drives more awareness; I think they’ve helped the cherry category. When May comes around, there hasn’t been a huge gap but there is a definite seasonality to cherries, so retailers can hype them up.”

Mark Calder, sales representative for Primavera Marketing, Linden, CA, says cherries have the “ultimate seasonality.” “Cherries are the epitome of a seasonal item, which is always appealing because shoppers don’t see them often,” he observes.

Cherries remain a solid category for Morton Williams Supermarkets, headquartered in the Bronx, NY, according to produce director, Marc Goldman. “People get tired of apples and oranges; they’re looking for change. I think sales have grown but it’s very price related. If I can promote cherries and put them in an ad at a reasonable price, I can sell a lot more.”

MULTIPLE VARIETIES

Produced in California, Washington, British Columbia and imported from Chile, there are numerous cherry varieties supplied throughout the season. Unlike apples or pears, however, cherries are not typically marketed by type.

“There are three main varieties: dark-sweet, Rainier and TipTop cherries, which are marketed as Skylar Rae (a bi-colored cherry that is a Stemilt signature item),” explains Brianna Shales, senior marketing manager at Stemilt Growers, Wenatchee, WA. “Dark-sweet dominate the volume and sales while Rainier and Skylar Rae are in season for a brief time but are great to have in store to add incremental sales.”

Bing is the top dark-sweet variety produced across all growing regions, comments Danelle Huber, marketing specialist for CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, WA. “CMI also grows varieties like Chelan, Sweetheart, Skeena and Lapin to fill the gaps and extend the season,” she adds. CMI sold the Skylar Rae variety for the first time in 2019.

Chelan produces early and late cherries; predominately dark-sweets as well as Rainier and its own variety Orondo Ruby, which is slightly earlier than Rainier. “It’s like eating a Bing and Rainier cherry at same time,” says Riggan. “It’s got a really sweet, yet high acid, complex flavor.”

Morton Williams, which sources from Hunts Point Market, finds shoppers want primarily dark-sweet cherries. “We do some Rainier and we’ve done some Orondo Ruby but most people are still looking for dark-sweet cherries,” Goldman says.

Other varieties include Benton, Coral Champagne, Cowiche, Kordia, Regina and Tieton, plus several new dark-sweets are in development. “Our focus primarily is late-ripening varieties to extend the season further into late August/September,” reveals Stemilt’s Shales.

Early varieties are the objective for Primavera. “In North America, we’re doing our best to avoid overlapping, especially between states,” Calder explains. “California is a very high-cost producing state; it’s important for us to not compete with lower-cost regions.”

Cheery Grand and Cheery Treat are two new early varieties from International Fruit Genetics (IFG). “Cheery Grand is supposed to not need as many chill hours, which might make it easier for California,” notes Riggan.

CHERRY CONSUMERS

Empty-nesters, those under 33 years and the health conscious are the key consumer groups for cherries, according to data compiled by Chicago-based Nielsen Perishables Group and Northwest Cherry Growers (NWCG), and provided by Sage Fruit Co., Yakima, WA.

As for provenance, cherry consumers are more concerned with quality. “I don’t think people pay attention to the origin,” states Chelan’s Riggan. “Consumers rely on retailers to make that decision. If cherries look good and are priced right, they’ll buy them.”

Consumers living in cherry-growing regions may take more notice, however. “Oregon, Idaho and Washington have very loyal Pacific Northwest cherry customers and enthusiasts,” says Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing for Sage Fruit. “California and Michigan are the same. Overall though, because the season is so short, consumers are just happy to get fresh, dark-sweet cherries.”

SUCCESS IN SALES

The growth in eating for health and wellness means global cherry retail sales continue to rise, notes Mark Zirkle, chief executive officer of Rainier Fruit Co., Selah, WA. “Transparency Market Research on the fresh cherry market shows the global market was valued at $47.3 billion in 2019, which is projected to rise at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5%, to reach $107.2 billion by 2029,” he reveals.

One in four Americans purchase cherries annually, according to Nielsen and NWCG. Their data also shows that cherry customers are repeat customers, with a typical cherry buyer spending $28 more per grocery trip than non-buyers, while buyers of Rainier cherries spend $42 more per trip.

“The summer fruit season brings many fresh fruit buyers, and products that are in store for a limited time tend to have a quick turnover rate,” explains Sinks. “There are approximately 76 million sweet cherry buyers in the U.S., however, at least 24 million need a reminder to buy [according to Nielsen and NWCG]. Shoppers need to know it’s cherry season and that their window of availability is quick.”

ENTICING DISPLAYS

Stores that have and build displays achieve the largest sales increase for cherries, claims Huber at CMI, who says the checkout, ice cream department and bakery are ideal cross merchandising locations. “According to NWCG’s 2019 annual report, cherries return more sales dollars per square foot of increase than all other produce items during the summer,” she specifies. “Capturing those impulse purchases is crucial.”

Nielsen and NWCG estimate that secondary displays drive 13.6% more lift in volume, and 22.4% more in dollars. “Retailers can capitalize on that by setting up a secondary display at the front door or near the checkout,” Sinks says. “Visibility is the key. Secondary displays, category size/location and ad frequency all play key roles in higher cherry sales.”

While the optimal display size depends on store footprint, suppliers agree the front and center of the produce department is the best location to trigger impulse purchases. “Consumers tend to think of summer as cherry season, and large eye-catching displays will help capture those consumer dollars,” says Zirkle at Rainier Fruit Co.

Stemilt’s Shales concurs, adding that bigger is better during peak promotions. “Retailers do well on cherries when they can align the ‘4Ps’ — Price, Product, Placement and Promotion — with the crop reality,” she says. “Cherries need lots of shelf space in a high-traffic area to drive that impulse purchase. They need a price that makes them attractive, but that also makes sense with the market. Product must be really high quality because cherries are purchased on impulse. Great flavor also drives repeat purchases. Lastly, promote cherries during the peak season.”

Displayed cherries should be rotated quickly to ensure quality, and preferably refrigerated to maximize shelf life, since cherries stored at room temperature will deteriorate much faster. “With proper storage, their shelf life can reach up to two weeks,” says Sinks at Sage Fruit. “Consumers, and retailers alike should avoid placing them near strong-scented foods in refrigeration, and only rinse cherries that are ready to be consumed.”

PROPER PROMOTIONS

When it comes to starting promotions, retailers will need to align activities with volume. Usually, however, Stemilt suggests promoting California cherries from mid- to late-May, then late-June through July for Northwest cherries.

“July 4 is a big promotional time for cherries, and, typically, follows multiple promotions during July on dark-sweet cherries,” Shales states. “For Rainier cherries, July 11 is National Rainier Cherry Day in the U.S., and always a time for Rainier promotions.”

Displays, therefore, must adapt as the weeks progress. “At the beginning of the season when volume is lower, displays will be smaller and prices will be fairly high,” notes CMI’s Huber. “During the high-volume weeks, displays should grow and draw consumers’ attention to ensure consistent movement and sales.”

Thereafter, NWCG research indicates that core cherry buyers’ sales per trip increase 8% in the late season, making it important to remind consumers about July and August availability. “Loyal consumers, (two out of three) will purchase the bulk of their cherries during this time, and will average $101/store trip, according to NWCG,” says Zirkle at Rainier Fruit Co. “Those ‘late-season’ trips quickly generate about 40% of total cherry sales for the season.”

Whether retailers use circular ads or multiple displays, Sage Fruit believes promotions drive increased sales, whereas simple price drops fail to draw as much attention. Demos and ads, meanwhile, remain the best tactics, according to Chelan. “You’ve got to do a good job of hitting shoppers with information when they arrive in store,” Riggan says. “The best thing is to announce cherries via social media or freestanding insert flyers; having cherries on an ad price gets people’s attention. In-store radio has been a great way to keep cherries front of mind, too.”

Morton Williams tends to focus on ad promotions for cherries. “Being in Manhattan, our stores are very small, so we don’t have big displays for everything,” says Goldman. “But when I get a good price, I can promote cherries, make bigger displays and put up signage.”

In California, Primavera has had success cross merchandising cherries with blueberries. “In California, it’s important to work together with local fruits of a similar seasonal timing, and blueberries fit that bill,” Calder says. “We collaborate marketing efforts to a small degree with retailers to help our visibility.”

Cross merchandising cherries can encourage new uses. “Cross merchandising with other recipe and usage ideas such as oatmeal, meat marinades, sauces, jams, salsas and pies prove that cherries are an expandable category,” affirms Sinks at Sage Fruit.

PROPER PRICING

Although supply and demand ultimately drive pricing, retailers should consider quality, too. The traditional price-point used to be 99 cents per pound, according to Riggan from Chelan, while now it seems to be $1.99 per pound. “But what really drives the cherry deal is fruit quality,” he affirms. “That’s more important than crop size or anything else because if you have good-eating cherries, people will buy them and come back for more. Then you see $2.49 or $2.99 per pound.”

The best price-point also depends on who retailers are trying to attract. Huber at CMI points out that consumers will pay more for a premium cherry, such as Skylar Rae, Daisy Girl Organics or a larger sized, higher-graded cherry. “Offering a premium cherry as well as a ‘value’ option will appeal to different demographics of consumers,” she proposes.

Of course, fruit sizing has a bearing on price, as well. “With regards to smaller sizes, the pricing is slightly less, which allows for better retail pricing,” says Sinks. “Budget-conscious retailers will generally take these sizes.”

Nonetheless, Sinks is seeing retailers shift towards larger-sized fruit. “Very few are carrying a two-size program, and when they do, one of the sizes is typically sold by the unit, i.e. UPC clamshell (instead of by the pound).”

A SALES EDUCATION

Education is another determining factor for sales, particularly around nutrition given consumer interest in healthy eating. “All education drives awareness because educated consumers more easily let go of their dollars when they know they’re getting something of value,” notes Chelan’s Riggan.

Cherries have various nutritional benefits worth highlighting. Stemilt advises that anti-inflammatory properties of cherries can help arthritis/gout sufferers, plus they contain melatonin, which can help to regulate sleep. Cherries are a good source of fiber, too, and lower on the glycemic index, which helps to regulate blood glucose levels. Additionally, cherries can protect against Alzheimer’s, ward off cancer, combat hypertension and stroke, and fight cardiovascular disease, reports CMI.

To encourage consumption amongst children, suppliers say kids love the flavor but parents should be reminded to remove the pits first. “Offer cherries as part of a nutritional breakfast or lunch, pit and freeze them as an alternative to a popsicle in the hot summer months, or just have cherries readily available as a quick snack right out of the refrigerator,” says Huber at CMI.

PACKAGING TRENDS

As for packaging, the newest trend is top-seal cartons; a plastic film on top of a clamshell. “We expect them to continue to be a bigger part of how cherries are sold because they reduce the amount of plastic used, they are UPC/scannable, which is huge for retail, and they can be automatically packed on our lines,” explains Stemilt’s Shales.

Nonetheless, suppliers agree that pouch bags remain very popular. In particular, they suit the impulsive nature of cherry purchasing thanks to the ability to add eye-catching designs and for consumers to see the quality.

“The pouch bag is an efficient, low-cost delivery vehicle for cherries, and it does a great job displaying fruit in stores, plus it’s easy for consumers to grab and take home,” points out Riggan from Chelan.

Morton Williams mainly retails cherries in pouches, with Goldman noting they are ideal for shoppers to pick up. “The high-graphic pouches have really helped to accelerate sales simply by capturing the visibility of the consumer,” adds Primavera’s Calder.

Article by Bob Johnson, Produce Business

CMI Orchards Welcomes New Strawberry Cherry

A cherry by any other name might taste as sweet, but how often can you taste the fruit simply by hearing its name?

When I was first told about a newcomer to CMI Orchard’s lineup, that is exactly what happened. The grower/marketer is welcoming the Strawberry Cherry to its portfolio, announcing its debut with the tagline “a very berry cherry.” For those of you familiar with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), this is your kind of package deal.

“Strawberry Cherries are big and ruby-red, with light flecking on the outside and a creamy inside—hints of heart-shaped berry married with cherry,” Rochelle Bohm, Brand Manager, shares with me. “With natural fruit sugars as high as 20 brix, the fruit has a low acid content and is delicate like a Rainier, so it must be handled with tender loving care.”

She explains that Strawberry Cherries grow light volume-wise on the tree, resulting in the larger sizing that is sure to become one of its more notable features. And of course a new item means new packaging, which CMI designed to complement the fruit’s already intriguing appearance. With a logo that can only be described as “delicately adorable,” the Strawberry Cherry brand will make its retail debut looking both quaint and premium at the same time.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, which bridges two premium categories beautifully for consumers, the story of this newcomer is as intriguing as its freckled skin.

CMI Orchards is welcoming a new variety to its portfolio, the Strawberry Cherry

Julie Bosma

“Strawberry Cherries came to life in an unusual way—the orchard worker hired to prepare the cherry trees accidentally cut branches from an experimental cherry orchard instead of the Sweetheart cherry tree orchard he should have,” shares Julie Bosma.

Julie is part of the family that discovered Strawberry Cherries and has been involved in selling and marketing them since their first crop was discovered in 2004. Mistakenly distributed as Sweetheart cherry trees to several orchardists in the Yakima Valley, seasons passed as the trees grew to the age of fruiting.

When the first blossoms yielded, Julie says her family immediately noticed that their trees were not producing regular dark red cherries.

The Strawberry Cherry has a relatively short season, with the first harvest slated for June 15-17 and expected to wrap before the month is out

The Bosma Family

“When we bit into one, the inside was creamy-white and tasted different than a Red or a Rainier. Confused about the parentage, there was a great deal of investigation into the origin. When testing for known varieties that looked somewhat similar, no one could find a cherry quite like it. From what we could tell, this was an entirely new variety,” Julie recalls.

With a relatively short season—CMI’s first harvest is expected June 15–17, and anticipates to wrap up before the month is out—and an initial volume of about 400 tons for 2020, the more I learn about this latest variety, the more it sounds like an item that will be sought after with cult-like adoration.

“Only a handful of growers have these cherries planted, and the Bosma family has around half of the total tonnage—230 tons this year,” Rochelle shares. “They only grow in the Yakima Valley in Washington State, so this is definitely more on the rare side.”

Certainly keep an eye out for this enticing new variety, which already has me quoting Shakespeare before I’ve even had a chance to try them!

Article by Melissa De Leon Chaves, And Now U Know

Cherry Producers See A Positive Future

Despite trade challenges, uncooperative weather, and finding enough workers to harvest a highly perishable crop, cherry industry professionals are secure in the knowledge that cherries are a healthy, highly anticipated treat.

What’s surprising is that only 30 percent of Americans eat cherries regularly.

“If 60 percent of Americans ate cherries more regularly,” says Mac Riggan, marketing director for Chelan Fresh Marketing in Chelan, WA, “we could possibly sell out the whole crop just in the United States.”

For Mike Preacher, director of marketing and customer relations at Domex Superfresh Growers, LLC in Yakima, WA, balance is key. “This season we’ve smoothed out production so there aren’t giant peaks. Because of how we manage our orchards, I see a good balance between supply and demand. When you can achieve a consistent crop with better quality, freshness, and shelf life, that prevents shortages in a strong market and helps support pricing and predictability.”

And in a marketing move that supports doing well by doing good, Rochelle Bohm, brand manager at CMI Orchards, LLC in Wenatchee, WA, explains, “We established a program for apples called ‘American Dream’—a portion of proceeds from the sale of each case supports U.S. service members, their families, and veteran causes.

“This year,” she continues, “we’re expanding the program to include cherries. The patriotic carton, which we ship during peak cherry season—June, July, and August—aligns with the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays as well as season-long summer promotions.”

Article by Produce Blueprints

CMI Orchards Joins Skylar Rae Brand Cherries Program with Stemilt Growers

CMI Orchards has revealed it is teaming up with Stemilt Growers to grow and market the bi-colored Skylar Rae® brand cherries!

Bob Mast, President of CMI Orchards, says the company is thrilled to add Skylar Rae to its manifest and sees huge potential for continued growth with this high-flavor, exceptionally sweet, branded cherry.

“Stemilt has done an outstanding job developing the brand and market for Skylar Rae,” said Mast. “We wholeheartedly believe that an alliance between two of the industry’s powerhouse growers, CMI and Stemilt, will amplify the retail merchandising possibilities for this incredible cherry.”

According to a press release, in 2004, Skylar Rae cherries were discovered by the Toftness family, growing by chance in a Sweetheart cherry orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. With unknown parentage (DNA) and a distinctively different flavor profile and texture, this new cultivar was granted its own price look-up (PLU) number—only the third cherry variety with its own number—for easy distinction and sales segregation from dark sweet Red and bi-colored Rainier cherries.

“Having a unique PLU number gives retailers a spectacular opportunity to capture substantial sales with an additional value-added segment within the category during the highly profitable, short cherry season,” said Mast.

Owners of the Skylar Rae brand, the Toftness and Van Hoven families, described the process behind adding another sales agency to market their special cherries.

“We thought long and hard about the need to add additional sales power and CMI was absolutely the best choice for us to expand our program and leverage the fantastic work and consumer interest already generated by Stemilt,” said Troy Toftness. “With CMI’s experience marketing some of the very best global apple brands available today, bringing them in to help us meet growing retail demands for Skylar Rae cherries was a logical move.”

Mast expressed the company is honored to become part of a successful program.

“Skylar Rae cherries are not only super sweet, but they have a unique flavor and firmness that truly stands out and leaves customers begging for their return each season,” he said. “We are really excited to work with the Toftness and Van Hoven families, and Stemilt, to expand the market for Skylar Rae cherries.”

Skylar Rae cherries will be available from CMI Orchards starting mid-June 2019.

Article by Alexis Schreiber, And Now U Know

CMI Orchards Expands American Dream® Retail Program to Cherries

Cherries are my number one summertime fruit. I know that come July, I’ll be eating cherries by the handful, so you can imagine my delight at the fact that CMI Orchard’s American Dream® retail program is expanding from apples to include cherries.

“Our cherry program follows hot on the heels of CMI’s recent launch of our American Dream apple carton, which was presented at PMA in October 2018 and kicked off commercially with several retailers in alignment with Veterans Day last November,” George Harter, Vice President of Marketing, said in a recent press release. “We experienced tremendous momentum and support for this program with apples and adding cherries just makes sense—especially with stores looking to continue American Dream promotions into the summer. CMI is expecting cherry harvest to commence around the second week of June and the crop, and sizing looks like it’s shaping up to be a great season.”

Harter also noted that this move will bring about opportunities for holiday retail promotions, kicking off with Independence Day and running through the month of July when Northwest cherries are peaking.

For those wondering just how a retail display would look, the American Dream cherry program will be shipping in a new 5 kg lid for export plus an 18/20 lb lid for domestic shipments. Rochelle Bohm, Brand Manager for CMI Orchards, said that the boxes can be stacked to create an eye-catching patriotic billboard. According to Bohm, cherry displays can boost sales by more than 30 percent as most customers do not go shopping specifically to buy cherries, but instead pick them up when they catch their eye in store.

“We’re eager to work with retailers to set up American Dream promotions this summer,” Bohm said. “With Independence Day hitting prime cherry season where volumes will be ramping up, retailers can use the boxes to drive even more of those important impulse cherry purchases in stores for holiday promotions and throughout the summer selling months. Like CMI’s American Dream apple program, the cherry program is tied to a feel-good component. We return a portion of proceeds from the sale of each box to the military or veteran cause deemed most important to each of our participating retail customers. We’ll have display contests and lots of exciting things happening in alignment with this program, so stay tuned and look for our American Dream cherry boxes this cherry season.”

Harter added, “We are proud to honor and celebrate the service and sacrifices made by our veterans and their families. Give us a call so we can get some great retail promotions set up and talk about ways to give back to causes that are important to your company and region.”

Article by Anne Allen, And Now U Know

CMI’s American Dream® Promo Extends to Cherries

CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., is extending the American Dream retail program from apples to cherries.

The American Dream promotion kicks off on July 4 and runs through the end of the month, when Northwest cherry production is at its peak.

American Dream-themed packaging will be for a new five-kilogram lid for exports, and an 18-20-pound lid for the U.S. market, according to a news release.

The program debuted at the industry Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit expo in October, with retailers receiving the packaging for apples in November to coincide with Memorial Day, George Harter, vice president of marketing, said in the release.

“We experienced tremendous momentum and support for this program with apples and adding cherries just makes sense — especially with stores looking to continue American Dream promotions into the summer,” Harter said in the release.

Rochelle Bohm, brand manager at CMI Orchards, suggests retailers stack the colorful boxes to create a patriotic “billboard,” an eye-catching display that can boost sales.

“We’re eager to work with retailers to set up American Dream promotions this summer,” Bohm said in the release. “With Independence Day hitting prime cherry season where volumes will be ramping up, retailers can use the boxes to drive even more of those important impulse cherry purchases in stores for holiday promotions and throughout the summer selling months.”

Article by Chris Koger, The Packer