Stemilt Growers will pass the baton for its cherry season from California to Washington in June, says Brianna Shales, marketing director.
The Wenatchee, Wash.-based supplier is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of sweet cherries and a leader in Washington cherries, she said. Stemilt grows conventional and organic cherries and three main types of sweet cherries that include dark-sweet, rainiers and proprietary Skylar Rae cherries. The marketer also is a leader in organic cherries.
“Within the dark-sweet SKU, there are multiple varieties from different harvest windows,” Shales said. “Stemilt is invested in new genetics that help deliver firm, sweet and deep-hued cherries. We have a high volume of skeena cherries in Washington and also have new varieties in the June timeframe that are sure to delight.”
“Our ability to supply retail with fresh cherries that run through a cold chain that we are maniacal about and do this from the cherry season’s start to its finish is a true differentiator for Stemilt,” she added.
Long season
Shales said Stemilt has the longest season in the industry, with continuous supply daily that starts with its California cherry crop in late April and goes all the way through high-elevation cherries in Washington in August.
The California crop is already underway and will go from late April through mid-June, and Washington is poised to begin in early June and have a good supply in June and July. Washington’s cherry output will taper off significantly in August because of a reduced late-season crop, Shales said.
“Retailers must know that they need to make cherry dollars in June and July this year since the late crop is down,” Shales said. “Helping retail make the most out of the opportunities in the season and delivering great quality and freshness is what we’ll be focused on at Stemilt.”
Last year’s cherry crop was difficult because of an overlap between California and Washington and compressed harvest windows in Washington, but Shales said the good news is that 2024 crop is different.
California had a strong crop last year and returned with another one, currently estimated at 10.2 million 18-pound equivalent boxes, she said. The first-round industry estimate in the Northwest was 20.9 million 20-pound equivalent boxes, which is an increase over last year.
The main difference is that the two states should see less overlap and retailers will have more selling weeks in the season, she said.
“Timing is much better in California with the crop having started in late April,” Shales said. “We are entering into peak promotion timing now and will be able to hit Memorial Day promotions and have promotable volumes carry into early June. Washington is poised to start in early June, and we see great opportunities for large cherry displays in June and for the key July 4 promotion time.”
Shales said July will see good supplies of cherries, but volume will taper off quickly by August.
“This is because high altitude orchards experienced a freeze in January that led to winter damage and significantly reduced crops,” she said. “While the cherry deal will end earlier than last year, there are still plenty of opportunities for promotion. We expect great fruit quality and size and will be working hard to ensure freshness comes first.”
Washington’s late-cherry deal is short, so the season will wrap earlier than normal, she said. Sizing should be strong with average crop loads on the tree. Stemilt will harvest fewer Washington cherries this year because of the late-season loss.
In its marketing plan, Shales said Stemilt’s aim this cherry season is to help retailers win at the point of sale through attractive displays, branded packaging and robust promotions.
Bags are still the dominant package for cherries because they allow retailers to sell by the pound, she said. However, top-seal packages are also great for retailers that want to sell on a fixed weight and are especially beneficial for helping special offerings, like organics or branded programs, stand out on the shelf.
“We work closely with our retail partners to plan promotions and merchandising strategies on cherries, so that they can capitalize on volume periods and also specialty offerings like rainier cherries, organics, and our storytelling brands,” she said. “One item we see great potential for this season is Kyle’s Pick. It is a premium ‘best of the best’ package of cherries with recently updated branding that helps the item stand out on the shelf. “
On social media, Stemilt will be hosting giveaways this summer and connecting its audience to cherry content, from the farm to the plate.
“We’re very optimistic about cherries at Stemilt this season because of how the crop’s timing is looking and the fact that we will hit volume periods for key holidays,” Shales said.
