WENATCHEE, WA - Now is the time to book those Rainier cherry orders, according to CMI, with harvest reaching its seasonal peak this week.

Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI, reports that over 85% of CMI’s Rainier cherries will be harvested by June 26.

“Right now—today if possible—is the time for retailers to book their orders in for Rainier cherries,” said Lutz. “Otherwise, you just might have to wait until next year.”

As one of the largest Rainier cherry producers in Washington State, the company just released an inside look into its operations featuring grower, Brian Sand, who talks about what it’s like to grow Rainier cherries.

“Our CMI Rainier cherry growers are incredibly passionate about what they do,” Lutz said in a press release. “The goal of this video is to show our customers how dedicated we are to getting them the highest quality Rainier cherries in the industry.”

CMI commented that few retailers or consumers will ever have an opportunity to see the harvest in person. In the footage, Sand goes through the trials and triumphs of growing Rainiers, which CMI explained are among the most fragile items in the produce department, as well as one of the sweetest.

“It’s not uncommon for our Rainier cherries to have sugar levels above 25%, making them among the sweetest fruits in the produce department,” added Lutz, calling Rainier cherries a wonder of nature.

With tender skin and light coloring, they are susceptible to orchard and harvest bruising, necessitating being picked delicately by hand and placed in small buckets. The cherries then go into picking lugs and are transported immediately to a refrigerated packing facility.

Few fruits can match the flavor intensity and brix levels of a ripe Rainier cherry, Lutz said. As we move through its peak for 2016, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring the latest on the season and beyond.

CMI