THE DALLES, OR - With the first week of June comes Orchard View’s cherry harvest, and the company reports that all indications are pointing to another excellent season for the Oregon grower, and exclusive sales, marketing, and distribution partner, Oppy. Adding more acreage, new tech, and refreshed branding, it looks like Orchard View is poised for another busy year.
“We’re positioned for growth in 2016,” said David Nelley, Oppy's Executive Category Director for Northwest cherries. “Not only has the crop continued to recover from catastrophic frost in October 2014, more acreage is available and Orchard View has made some important operational upgrades in the packhouse that will set them apart.”
One such upgrade is Orchard View’s installation of a Unitec optical sorting lines, equipped to separate cherries by color and size, while avoiding any quality issues.
“The new sorter’s 48-line capacity will enable Orchard View to efficiently heighten the consistency of the packs,” Nelley added. “Orchard View already enjoys a reputation for excellent quality. This new equipment will make their excellent offerings even stronger and eye-catching at retail.”
Orchard View’s cherry varieties include Bing, Rainier, and Sweetheart, which Orchard View President Brenda Thomas says are grown on the best-suited elevations on the company’s orchards. “We’ve chosen them in order to extend the season as long as possible so retailers can make the most out of cherry season and consumers can enjoy our quality into August.”
Each new season, Oppy's staff relocates to Orchard View to offer on-site service to customers, and support the grower’s “Pick, Pack, Ship” goal of shipping every cherry within a day of being picked. The 2016 season is particularly notable for Orchard View, according to a press release, with the company taking up a refreshed branding approach focused on the idea, “Pick Your Moments.”
“The Pick Your Moments theme encourages our customers and cherry lovers everywhere to enjoy what Orchard View has to offer—the best and sweetest cherries available at any moment of the season,” explained James Milne, Oppy’s Executive Director of Marketing, adding that domestic cherries often signal summer days and fun moments with family and friends. “The high-quality, varietal range and strategic harvest timing at Orchard View make it possible for retailers to ‘seize the moment’ and offer excellent cherries to their customers while enjoying the benefits to their bottom line.”
Orchard View is introducing new packaging and signage that prominently features the Pick Your Moments message, as well as encourages shoppers to enjoy the company’s cherries while creating memories of good times shared.
“Orchard View’s first cherry harvest was in 1923. The many moments of hard work, learning, and perseverance since then have enabled this grower family to excel for four generations,” Milne added. “Orchard View is picking its moment to shine this season—and we invite our customers and their shoppers to do the same.”
Orchard View cherries will be packed in high-graphic, attention-grabbing pouch bags, and Oppy has plans to connect Orchard View cherry lovers in the coming months with a comprehensive social media campaign, so stay tuned for more!
