WENATCHEE, WA - In the Northern Hemisphere, the weather is warm, and the sun is shining, meaning shoppers are searching the produce department for treasured cherry varieties. They are in luck, as CMI Orchards has kicked off its harvest, with the latest reports showing a promising season ahead.
“The quality is really excellent this year,” explained Joel Hewitt, Domestic Sales and Organics Manager. “In comparison to last year, where our tonnage was affected by complicated weather, we’re expecting a much brighter outcome with excellent quality from the color and condition to the exceptional eating experience.”
CMI’s cherry season will peak the last week of June through the entire month of July before tapering off at the end of August, a release stated. The latest crop update shows potential for a 75 percent harvest increase over 2022, primarily for red cherries.
“These forecasted volumes mean more cherries for all our customers, domestic and export, offering a greater ability to meet the strong demand for Northwest cherries in all the countries we normally ship to,” Hewitt added.
Some of the grower’s biggest cherry variety stars of the summer include branded conventional options like Strawberry Cherries and Skylar Rae® cherries, as well as the XXL Cherries® and American Dream® programs.
“Skylar Rae is by far the sweetest cherry you’ll ever eat with a very unusual and much-craved 'crunch' when you bite into their sweet flesh,” explained Rochelle Bohm, Vice President of Marketing. “And Strawberry Cherries’ darling freckles with hints of fresh summer strawberries have people waiting for their return every single year.”
The supplier’s super-sweet, juicy, jumbo-sized cherry program, XXL Cherries, proves that bigger is better, while its American Dream program is patriotic and gives back, delivering a platform for promotions aligned with key patriotic holidays and BBQ season. Both programs feature high-graphic, high-impact packaging designs crafted to capture sales and inspire repeat purchases.
“CMI carries the largest varietal selection of cherries available in the market today,” said Bohm. “This, coupled with high-graphic point-of-sale materials and omnichannel support, means we’re uniquely positioned to not only set retailers up to drive their sales but also capture those impulse purchases that cherries inspire year-over-year.”
I can’t wait to get my hands on CMI’s lineup of cherries, and your shoppers likely feel the same way. Keep them coming back to your produce aisle by adding these varieties to your shelves.
