WENATCHEE, WA - Washington State growers have BIG cherries in-store for them this season, and with them, big merchandising opportunities at retail. As the season approaches, Stemilt Growers is prepping to be what it refers to as the home for big cherries, gearing up to share new marketing strategies with retailers to boost sales for its increased volumes and cherry size.
“It’s a fact that bigger is better when it comes to cherries,” shared Marketing Director Roger Pepperl. “And here at Stemilt, we emphasize that point to our retailers time and time again—bigger cherries make for better sales.”
Not only do large-sized cherries always put a twinkle in consumers’ eyes, Stemilt assures they also deliver big flavor. According to a press release, big cherries naturally have more sugars, making them sweeter and more firm than the average 10 ½ row cherry. Research conducted at Washington State University has previously found that for cherries, fruit size directly correlates to brix, meaning larger cherries have higher sugar levels.
“For most shoppers, cherries are an impulse purchase. Big displays of high-quality fruit drive the first cherry purchase, and the fruit’s flavor and overall eating experience drives repeat purchases,” Pepperl says. “While they have a short season, cherries are a big dollar generator to the produce department, and retailers who promote around size and flavor are the ones that find greatest success.”
And impulse buying is no joke. In fact, Stemilt shared data from Northwest Cherry Growers that states 71 percent of cherry purchases are impulse buys. In that vein, Pepperl suggests using Stemilt’s big cherry size and premium cherry programs as a selling point to capture consumer eyes. Another tip from Pepperl—place large-sized cherries in prominent, heavy-traffic areas in attractive displays to encourage consumers to grab fruit for their baskets.
“Stemilt’s Kyle’s Pick™ cherries are one way to differentiate through size at retail, and July is the key time to promote these,” added Pepperl. “We reserve select varieties and our biggest and best cherries for these specially marked packs, because those are the exact qualities that its namesake, 4th generation grower Kyle Mathison, farms during this timeframe.“
As Pepperl touched on, Stemilt is no stranger to big cherries. Company Founder Tom Mathison has been pruning for cherry size and quality since Stemilt’s founding in the early 1960s, and today, Stemilt’s commitment and foresight have kept them a prime locale for big, flavorful cherries. Stemilt says it is now able to pack size consistently better than it ever has with the aid of innovative electronic packing equipment, allowing for optical sizing and grading of cherries.
“Tom had it figured out long before others in the industry did, and today’s optic sizing technology allows us to deliver on what he always envisioned,” says Pepperl. “At Stemilt, being the home for big cherries is all about growing the best tasting fruit in order to delight shoppers all summer long.”
Keep a look out for more news from Stemilt as the company hits its cherry season stride. Until then, happy growing!
