Cherry growers choosing sustainability

Northwest cherry grower-shippers have been going to great lengths to incorporate sustainable practices throughout all aspects of their operations, from growing their product to recycling the packaging it’s sold in.

Stemilt Growers Inc., Wenatchee, Wash., is highly invested in looking at and refining packaged items, saving energy, installing solar power and more, said Brianna Shales, director of marketing.

But one area in which the company really stands out is its treatment and investment in its people, which the company refers to as Stemilters, she said.

“In August 2021, we became the first tree fruit company to fully certify our orchard and operations with Equitable Food Initiative,” Shales said. “This means we can assure the entire supply chain that we meet EFI’s rigorous standards, and our products are ‘Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured,’” as he EFI label states.

Sage Fruit Co., Yakima, Wash., is actively seeking alternative solutions to traditional packaging in light of increased consumer concerns over single-use plastic and a heightened awareness of the availability of more sustainable options, said Chuck Sinks, president, sales and marketing.

“Unfortunately, traditional plastics do not rapidly degrade in our natural setting, and if they are not properly recycled, they build up in landfills, pollute the environment and disrupt our ecosystems,” he said.

As a potential solution, the company is conducting trials of a new, sustainable package for its organic cherries called the Bio-Able Solutions pouch bag.

Bio-Able Solutions addresses plastic and food packaging sustainability, Sinks said.

The bags are enabled with bio-assimilation technology and are 100% recyclable and “uniquely formulated to fully degrade in both marine and terrestrial environments, leaving behind zero micro-plastic waste,” he said.

At CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., “Sustainability is something we care passionately about,” said brand manager Rochelle Bohm.

“CMI does research and tries to make sound decisions so that any sustainable measures we implement are rooted in real science and data and what is actually best for the earth,” she said.

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The company constantly evaluates new packaging types and studies their claims and impacts, she said.

“We’ve taken on a leadership approach, and we’re partnering with retailers to coach them on opportunities and options that are out there.”

CMI has developed a sustainable packaging program called Relax that saves consumers time researching the sustainability of various products.

“We simply list easy-to-understand information in a shield on the front of the package that gives the top-level, basic information, such as whether it’s 100% recyclable or if it’s biodegradable,” Bohm said. “It’s a way we try to convey the relevant story to the consumer in an easy digestible format.”

CMI takes a proactive approach to sustainability, said George Harter, vice president of marketing.

“We try to get out in front of packaging and other issues where we’re trying to help educate retailers how to navigate,” he said. “We’re not waiting for them to tell us what to do.”

Related: The cherry challenge: Organic gaining traction, but many consumers still put off by price point

Despite all the talk about sustainability and the efforts that grower-shippers are implementing in that area, it’s not something that a lot of retailers are focusing on, said Matt Nowak, who handles domestic and export sales for Grower Direct Marketing LLC, Stockton, Calif., which does marketing for Western Sweet Cherry Group LLC, Yakima, Wash.

“I think you’re seeing more retailers talking about it, but it’s not something that’s being demanded across the industry at this time,” he said.

“I would definitely say there is more of a focus on it than we’ve ever seen, but I wouldn’t say it’s a determining factor at this point.”

But that may change in the future.

“That more likely will become a bigger part of the buying experience as the younger generation takes over the buying process,” Nowak said.