Cherries
Sweet cherry harvest is well underway in the Northwest, and soon the shelves will be filled with the sweet 2021 crop.
With temperatures topping 105 degrees for several days from June 27-30 in Wenatchee, Wash., the heat was on the Northwest cherry harvest.
Although things weren’t all red, white and blue on PMG in the week leading up to the July Fourth holiday, seasonal favorites still stacked the top 20.
The supply base for the winter imported cherry program has broadened for Lyndonville, N.Y.-based United Apple Sales.
GrubMarket has acquired domestic and imported fruit marketer Bengard Marketing Inc.
Shippers say California cherry crop prospects are bright for 2021 and no gap is expected between California and Northwest crops at the end of the deal.
For the past couple of weeks a certain specialty has been topping the charts on PMG — namely, loquat!
Cherries did remarkably well during the pandemic year of 2020, and marketers have even higher hopes for 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the importance of digital marketing, said Catherine Gipe-Stewart, communications manager for Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, Wash.
The cherry crop for Orondo, Wash.-based Auvil Fruit will be similar but possibly a little larger than a year ago, said Ray Norwood, director of sales and marketing for the company.
BC Tree Fruits had a beautiful cherry set this year with a heavy bloom, said Laurel Van Dam, director of media relations for the Kelowna, British Columbia-based company.
Catherine Gipe-Stewart, communications manager for Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, Wash., said multiple studies show single-bag cherry sales are over 70% impulse purchases.
Retailers can promote cherries by maintaining off shelf displays with fresh product in key high-traffic areas to maximize impulse purchases/sales, Harter of CMI said.
Despite a shorter Northwest cherry crop and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the value of U.S. cherry exports grew 2% in 2020.
Pacific Trellis Fruit announced the first arrival of Argentine cherries, arriving via vessel to its west coast warehouse this week.
The COVID-19 pandemic demanded course corrections for California cherry marketers in 2020.
The stand-up pouch bag is still the dominant package for California cherries, but top-seal clamshells are making inroads, shippers say.
Take a look at what California cherry businesses are working on.
Arable Capital Partners (“Arable”) announced today the acquisition of Royal Ridge Fruits, Dorsing Farms, Inc. and related entities.
A new report from the Northwest Cherry Growers indicates the summer heatwave in the Northwest has caused an estimated 20% reduction in volume compared with earlier expectations.
Wentachee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers has introduced the 5 River Islands brand of California cherries.
Stemilt’s A Half Mile Closer to the Moon® cherries are set to make their grand return in August.
Two major industry events that were due to take place this year, the Global Cherry Summit and the Agricultural Water Summit, have both been postponed until 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chilean industry leaders project that cherry exports to the U.S. will see substantial growth in 2021-22.
Chilean cherry shipments to the U.S. began the last week of October and will ramp up and continue into February, said Karen Brux, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.
As extreme heat and fires plague much of the West, wildland firefighters go from fire to fire with little end in sight.
Josh Leichter, CEO of Pacific Trellis Fruit, announced Nov. 29 the first shipment of Dulcinea branded cherries has arrived in the United States.
Chile doubles volume to the U.S. and implements enhanced marketing campaign.
Cherry grower-shippers are, more and more, putting the focus on sustainability.
While the Northwest cherry season is likely to extend into September, crop volumes are getting smaller due to April’s cold and snow, said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers.