WENATCHEE, WA – After a protracted winter and cold, wet spring for much of the West Coast, cherry harvest is in full swing in Washington. I recently had the opportunity to get in touch with Brianna Shales, Communications Manager for Stemilt Growers, to find out how harvest is progressing and what we can expect from this premier cherry provider in the weeks to come.
“Cherry harvest continues for Stemilt in Washington state, and we are currently harvesting all five of our cherry SKUs,” Brianna told me. “Bing is the primary variety right now for dark-sweet cherries as Chelan is wrapping up. We are also winding down on harvest of the early Rainier variety (early Robin) and moving into Rainier. Skylar Rae® cherries are picking up in volume and are coming off the tree with great size, firmness, and high sugars.”
With a later start than last season, Brianna tells me, customers can expect robust promotable volumes through the duration of Summer.
“The big thing around cherries right now is that we are heading into higher volume weeks, yet still have a long season in front of us,” Brianna noted. “We have a great spread of harvest between growing districts and varieties, which means more shipping weeks than retailers are used to, and certainly more than last year—which had a historic early start. July and August are both going to be big months for cherry promotions, and Stemilt won’t end its cherry season until early September with our unique, high-altitude cherries.”
Brianna added that, as July approaches, Stemilt has a variety of ways in which retailers can differentiate themselves and drive cherry sales.
“As we look towards July, retailers can differentiate themselves with Kyle’s Pick™ cherries,” Brianna said.
The premium program selects the company’s largest fruit (10 row +) from among top varieties like Skeena and Sweetheart to be packed into specially marked packaging.
“Cherries are purchased on impulse and Kyle’s Pick have the quality standards that will drive shoppers to pick them up at the store. Along with great display space and location, retailers can have a huge cherry month in July through Kyle’s Pick,” Brianna added. “It’s also important that retailers are focused on Rainiers. We have a great crop of Rainier cherries and are recommending retailers plan back-to-back-to-back ads–or ads the first three weeks of July. The crop aligns perfectly with National Rainier Cherry Day on July 11th and retailers should be putting lots into promotions on Rainiers for that timeframe.”
Brianna also noted that promotions on social media and other digital channels are a great way to boost shopper interest in Rainier cherries. And as retailers plan their promotions, they should be aware that organic cherries from Stemilt will peak post July 4th—with organic Skeena variety cherries being featured in the company’s July Artisan Organics™ program.
“Last but certainly not least, there is lots of excitement around the third cherry SKU—Skylar Rae®,” said Brianna. “This bi-colored cherry is both the firmest and sweetest cherry available, and it is being harvested from now into late July. We are seeing great consumer excitement around this special cherry and encourage retail promotions, demos, and signage to tell shoppers about this new cherry, which is the sweetest they’ll ever eat.”
AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up to date with more from Stemilt Growers as the season progresses.
