FRESNO, CA - Flavor Tree Fruit Company has a unique hybrid in store for the stone fruit market: the Verry Cherry Plum. I spoke with Flavor Tree Sales Assistant Kaleb Smith about what makes The Verry Cherry Plum special, and the future of the unique fruit.
The Verry Cherry Plum is a proprietary and interspecific fruit introduced by the company in 2011, developed exclusively for Excelsior Farming and The Flavor Tree Fruit Company by a private plant breeder, Zaiger’s of Modesto, CA. Zaiger’s has been involved in the industry for over 40 years and is known throughout the industry for its expertise in different fruit hybrids.
The parents and grandparents of the Verry Cherry Plum include several different varieties of cherries—Bings and Stellas, to name two. Multiple different plum varieties are also included in the parentage and grandparentage of the hybrid.
"This Verry Cherry cross has been in development over the last eight years, and in 2012, most of the tress had reached commercial production levels for the first time," Smith tells me. "This interspecific fruit combines the sweetness of a cherry with the juiciness of a plum while still having a very nice crunch."
2015, however, may be the year that volumes for the product increase to more promotable levels.
"The fruit is packed into 1# clamshells, and The Flavor Tree is planning to introduce a new pouch bag for this season as well," adds Smith.
With harvest for fruit beginning in late June or early July, this is definitely an item I'll be keeping my eyes out for in the coming months.
