SEATTLE , WA - It’s Yumi watermelon and cherry season over at Charlie’s Produce! The supplier is ready to meet summertime demand for these fresh fruits, and I recently got in touch with P.J. Cawley, Global Purchasing Manager of Organics and Farmer’s Own, and Laura Severance, Marketing Director, to discuss what’s in store for this season.

“Charlie’s Produce has plenty of availability this season on Yumi watermelons, with more traditional yields. We continue to expand the program as the demand and following for the Yumi brand increases,” P.J. told me. “During peak season, we ship over a million pounds a week.”

In California, Charlie’s Produce’s Yumi watermelons are grown from mid-May through the majority of July. Washington-grown fruit starts in the last week of July and runs through Labor Day, including conventional watermelon.

The supplier provides dynamic branding to entice retail shoppers to add Yumi watermelons to their carts. Plus, it touts a fresh-cut program, available in organic and conventional, and will have availability of the new Yumi Organic watermelon x Healeo Juice in August.

In addition to watermelon, Charlie’s Produce reports a strong crop for Yumi cherries this year.

“We launched Yumi red and Rainier cherries in the summer of 2023, with availability from early June to late July,” Laura added. “Eastern Washington is known for growing the best cherries. Long, warm days and cool nights provide the perfect growing climate for lots of orchards on hills and slopes in the Yakima and Wenatchee areas.”

The Yumi brand has had an impressive track record in recent years. Yumi strawberries launched in 2022, blueberries and cherries launched in 2023, raspberries and blackberries launched in 2024, and northwest-grown cranberries will be coming this fall.

Stop by booth #314 at the Organic Produce Summit to try the organic Yumi watermelon and learn more about Charlie’s Produce’s organic programs. And keep reading ANUK to stay up to date on the industry’s latest.