CMI offering big variety of cherries, expanded crop
CMI Orchards’ cherry program offers the largest varietal section of cherries available in the market today, says Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based supplier.
“With conventional and organic options, high-graphic point-of-sale materials to capture impulse purchases, and omnichannel support to drive sales, we have everything you need to capture cherry sales throughout the season,” Bohm said. “Being a one-stop shop for our customers is really at the heart of what we do. Providing supply and support in every facet that we can means we not only deliver the best tasting fruit on earth, but also skyrocket sales for our retailers to carry their produce department through the entire year.”
Bigger expectations
CMI has a strong cherry crop forecast for 2023, said Joel Hewitt, domestic sales and organic manager.
“All our districts have reported a moderate to heavy-set crop in comparison to last year where weather resulted in a smaller-than-expected harvest,” he said. “Coupled with CMI’s huge varietal selection, retailers will have more than enough cherries to keep sales buzzing throughout the summer.”
Hewitt said CMI is optimistic that retailers will get more “bang for their buck” on summer ads, with bigger volume and excellent quality forecasted.
“We continue to closely monitor the harvest forecast and expect a strong, healthy crop — with the latest crop updates indicating we could see a 75% harvest increase over 2022,” Hewitt said.
Because of cooler temperatures over the winter and early spring, the start of cherry harvest for CMI was pushed back, with Hewitt reporting it will kick off around the middle of June.
“With the crop expected to be much more loaded this year, we’re going to be peaking the entire month of July with the state anticipating its peak around July 12,” he said. “After that, things will start tapering down and will run until the very end of August.”
Larger volumes mean more cherries for both domestic and export customers, he said.
Variety selection
Bohm said CMI’s branded-cherry programs include Strawberry Cherries and Skylar Rae, two popular branded conventional cherry options.
“Skylar Rae is by far the sweetest cherry you’ll ever eat with a very unusual and much coveted 'crunch' when you bite into their sweet flesh, and Strawberry Cherries’ darling freckles with hints of fresh summer strawberries have people waiting for their return every single year,” she said.
Hewitt said CMI is doubling in volume with Skylar Rae and Strawberry Cherries compared to last year.
In addition, Bohm said CMI will have organic red and rainier cherries in its Daisy Girl Organics line.
“This familiar, fan-favorite program effortlessly captures incremental sales from health-focused consumers,” Bohm said.
Marketing highlights
CMI’s marketing program will feature its XXL Cherries and American Dream programs, Bohm said.
“XXL Cherries is our premier, super-sweet and juicy jumbo-sized cherry program that proves that bigger is better,” she said. “American Dream is a patriotic feel-good program that gives back as much as it gets, delivering a platform for promotions aligned with key patriotic holidays and barbecue season. Both programs feature high-graphic, high-impact packaging designs perfectly crafted to capture impulse sales during the intense upcoming cherry season.”
As part of CMI’s omnichannel support, its programs — especially those like American Dream — are easily customizable, and CMI is happy to work hand in hand with retailers to design a system that works best for their specific desires, Bohm said.
In terms of pack options, Bohm said CMI continues to see success in packing its cherries in several formats for diverse shoppers and selling platforms.
“We specialize in pouch bags, clam shells, top seal trays and bulk,” she said.
