SELAH, WA - Buckle your seat belts, folks. The Pacific Northwest cherry season is quickly approaching and promising to be as dynamic as ever. Always the wild ride, this premium category draws in shoppers from every demographic, flavor palate, and walk of life. As we look to the season ahead, Rainier Fruit Company joins me to discuss the fruitful category and what we can look forward to as summer approaches.

“While Mother Nature decides the official first day of cherry harvest, we currently expect to kick off the 2024 season the first week of June. We experienced a relatively warm late winter and early spring, but crop timing has balanced out to a five-year average with the more recent cooler temps,” Tyler Johnson, Sales Manager. “We always encourage buyers to stay close on cherries and to keep in touch as summer approaches and we get a better idea of the crop set. Reach out and let us share what makes our program special.”

One of the key players in the cherry category, Rainier Fruit consistently ranks among the first wave of Northwest suppliers to ship a box, thanks to varietal selection and locations in prime microclimates.

“Crop potential is looking favorable so far, and we expect to have plenty of beautiful fruit,” Tyler details. “Weather challenges in mid-winter resulted in a cold snap that caused some damage in the northern districts. While greater industry supply will likely get tight in the late season, we expect a solid supply of fruit through July. It’s years like this that show the benefit of investing in geographical diversity from northern Washington all the way down to the Hood River region of Oregon.”

As retailers build excitement for their premium cherry programs, buyers can plan to see organic and conventional Chelans priming the pipeline, followed by Bings and Rainiers. Mid-season transitions to Cristalina, Coral Champagne, and Skeena with Sweetheart will round out the season and deliver on retailers’ commitments to a one-stop cherry shop for shoppers.

“In response to positive consumer feedback, we’ve increased the volume of Rainiers and Skeenas, which offer a fantastic eating experience. Both of these varieties like to grow large and stand out on the store shelf,” Tyler concludes.

The advantages of a prime cherry destination are multi-dimensional. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we bring you more on the upcoming season and all that it offers.