CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., is ready for another imported apple season, with fruit from New Zealand, Argentina and Chile arriving in June.
The company’s import program includes apples, pears and cherries, according to a news release.
New Zealand imports include Kiku, Kanzi, Jazz and Envy apples.
Imports allow the fruit company to ship year-round.
“We set up import programs to bridge any gaps on domestic product,” Robb Myers, director of sales, said in the release. “We know how important it is for retailers to have year-round supply, and we’ve partnered with some of the best growers in the world to deliver the same premium quality fruit you can expect from our own domestic crops.
“The added bonus is an injection of beautiful new crop fruit in the summer months, providing strong opportunities for retail promotions during a time when apple sales can slow,” he said in the release.
Scott Granger, CMI’s Chilean import manager, said the company can help retailers forecast supplies and cover gaps with with Chilean fruit.
“Conversations about importing apples and pears starts in December and finalizes in January, and this close to June, most of our conventional and organic product from Chile is already pre-committed for the current import season,” he said in the release.
Chilean cherries are available in December and January, Granger said, and offer a “nice cash infusion” during those monhts.
“Having great partnerships in place with select Southern Hemisphere growers offers us a world of opportunity to provide assurances and security of supply to our retail customers,” Myers said.
