Cherry growers seek out improved varieties

Within the broad categories of dark sweet and yellow sweet selections, the quest for improved cherry varieties continues for Northwest growers. 

“There have been some proprietary varieties hit the market in recent years,” said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers, Yakima, Wash. “In talking with nursery groups, it sounds as if coral champagne, skeena and rainier have been the most sought-after varieties to plant.”

It is inevitable that Northwest cherry growers will continue to see new and emerging cherry varieties on the market, said George Harter, vice president of marketing for CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash. 

“Much like other commodities, product differentiation both through packaging that stands out and also flavor and appearance differences give retailers something to upsell, and customers something new and exciting to try,” Harter said. 

“CMI is part of the Skylar Rae partnership with Stemilt, and also sells and markets Strawberry Cherries. These two varieties are very special, delicious and fan-favorites with shoppers.” 

Oppy is trending higher in new varieties, said Jon Bailey, director of the cherry category for The Oppenheimer Group, Vancouver, British Columbia. “With a decrease in bings, the pearl series will be increasing quite a bit with several other smaller proprietary varieties increasing,” he said.

The cherry variety mix is changing for BC Tree Fruits, but the process takes time, said Laurel Van Dam, director of media relations for BC Tree Fruits, Kelowna, British Columbia.

“Lapins is still the largest variety in British Columbia, but as new plantings go in, we are seeing early varieties like santina and cristalina, late varietals like stacatto and sentennial get planted,” she said. 

“Late varietals and higher elevation plantings are popular.”

Domex Superfresh Growers is increasing earlier and later season dark sweet varieties, as well as higher flavor cherries such as coral champagne and black pearl, said Catherine Gipe-Stewart, communications manager for the Yakima-based company.

“Over the years, lower-yielding bing cherries are becoming less common for varieties such as coral champagne, which is harvested early mid-season between chelan and bing,” she said. 

“We have late season cherries in our high elevation orchards that take us to the end of August with harvest.”
In terms of variety availability, Dan Davis, director of business development for Wenatchee-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, said the bing variety is less and less of what the company offers.

“Corals on the front end have replaced much of what was there, and cristalina is also rapidly increasing,” he said.  “Proprietary varieties seem to me to have a small place and won’t displace much of the red cherry volume, we continue to see an evolution towards higher yielding, self-fertile varieties more than a move towards more proprietary varieties.”

Sage Fruit has added newer cherry varieties to its mix, said Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing for the Yakima-based company. However, he said consumers do not tend to purchase cherries by specific variety other than choosing between rainier and dark sweet cherries.  “While proprietary varieties are beginning to enter the market, it will be a while before they have a significant impact,” he said.
Varieties packed by Sage Fruit include benton, skeena, regina, sweetheart, bing, chelan, cowichel and kordia. “Each variety is harvested at a different time and in different regions throughout the summer months, which is how we are able to keep retail shelves stocked through the duration of the season,” Sinks said.

Brianna Shales, director of marketing for Wenatchee-based Stemilt Growers, said varieties are selected in part to fill different marketing windows.  Skeena cherries in Washington are typically harvested in July, while santina is an early cherry in Washington that has also come on strong.  “We are planting new late-ripening varieties to help extend the season of our A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries, and Skylar Rae brand cherries are continuing to grow in volume, though still have a short window of availability compared to dark-sweet cherries,” she said.
 

Related: 
Online grocery growth for cherries spurs efforts by marketers
Suppliers share optimism about Northwest cherries
Cherries: 2020 rewind and 2021 marketing outlook
Northwest cherry growers look for strong crop