Consumers will flock to stores for Northwest cherries, and they will have plenty of choices, marketers say.
Retailers are enthusiastic, said Jon Bailey, sales manager with the Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Oppenheimer Group.
“Domestically, there is a great deal of excitement among retailers for the upcoming cherry season,” he said.
“Cherries are a big part of their bottom line during the summer, so they form an important part of their overall produce category.”
Ultimately, there are a lot of unknowns regarding what consumer buying habits will be, in light of the economic turmoil brought on by the new coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic, Bailey acknowledged.
“But, we’re remaining positive that consumers are looking for something new and fresh, and something to celebrate,” he said.
“This is especially so, since they are no longer spending their dollars at restaurants, so they might as well treat themselves with a special fruit like cherries while they are in season.”
Cherrie’s seasonality heightens consumer excitement about the fruit’s availability, Bailey said.
“Cherries are still one of the few seasonal fruits, and people realize that they are only here for a short period of time,” he said.
“This adds an air of exclusivity and urgency to cherries that other fruit lacks, so get them while they last.”
Shoppers will find plenty of cherries in stores throughout the Northwest season, although it won’t be a record crop, or even close, said Laurel Van Dam, director of sales with Kelowna, British Columbia-based BC Tree Fruits Cooperative.
“Our overall volume is predicted to be similar to last year, which was down versus recent history,” she said.
“Last year’s rain events during harvest and this year’s cold damage got us to this point. The good news about some cold damage is it’s nature’s way of pruning, so the outlook is for bigger-sized cherries, even if there aren’t as many bins as normal.”
Northwest cherry suppliers look south to get an idea of what kind of retail traffic to expect, said Bill Knight, domestic sales manager with Wenatchee, Wash.-based Northern Fruit Co. Inc.
“We’re usually waiting for California to sort of get out of the way. Hopefully, they’ll have a good run at it; when they do, that’s usually a good sign for us,” said Knight, whose company offers 10 varieties of conventionally grown cherries.
Retail shoppers emerging from the gloom of the COVID-19 pandemic, will look to cherry season as a bright spot, said Blaine Markley, director of domestic sales with Selah, Wash.-based Rainier Fruit Co.
“Consumers have flocked to comfort food but also are showing signs of adding more fresh produce to their home meal prep,” she said.
“These types of behaviors have retailers feeling very optimistic about this year’s crop and opportunities to delight consumers with fresh delicious cherries and be a readily available source.”
As consumers have continued to increase their online shopping habits during the pandemic, retailers are working diligently to capture the attention of consumers who may not see the large cherry displays built in-store and instead are working on digital strategies to highlight cherries in their consumers’ online shopping baskets, Markley said.
“Approaching the season with a multi-faceted approach by optimizing social media content, online ordering platforms, or shopping apps will be key in virtually enticing customers to put Northwest cherries in their basket,” she said.
Wenatchee-based Stemilt Growers LLC will be “in a great position” for retail, with its mix of cherry varieties, said Brianna Shales, communications manager.
“We are the leading skeena grower in Washington, which is a true dessert-quality cherry,” she said.
“We also strive to grow cherries for size, firmness and flavor. A smaller crop load on trees generally bears bigger cherries, so we anticipate jumbo sizing in this year’s crop.”
Related content:
Northwest cherry season gaining speed
Organics strengthen position in Northwest cherry deal
Northwest cherry grower-shippers anticipate ample volumes
