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which begins after the Fourth of July holiday, called Kyle’s Pick, that focuses on high- quality, high-brix, firm cherries that offer premium fruits and veggies to retailers that want the best.
“Then at the very end of the season, in mid-August, we have a program of high-el- evation cherries called ‘Half Mile Closer to the Moon,’ which is about super-high-quality cherries that are farmed a half mile above sea level and are super late and extend into early September,” says Pepperl. “We farm closer to the moon and focus on the moon’s gravity in our feeding programs, and we also compost the entire project with our own custom compost. This moon program is unique and at a time when Stemilt dominates the harvest and market share of cherries being harvested.”
HEALTH BENEFITS AND PRICE
Primavera Marketing’s Sambado suggests retailers create large displays of their best, freshest, and most visually appealing cherries.
And then, of course, retailers can promote the nutrients in cherries to spread the word they fit healthy lifestyles.
“Cherries are rich in vitamin C, potassium
“Cherries are rich in vitamin
C, potassium and vitamin B.” — Richard Sambado, Primavera Marketing
and vitamin B,” says Sambado.
Cost is also a factor, as there is a ceiling to
how much consumers will pay for cherries. “It seems retail pricing needs to be below $5 per pound to move any consider- able volume,” says Sambado. “Furthermore, if there is the scenario of a lot of fruit in a compact period of time, retail [prices] defi-
nitely need to be below $4 per pound.”
CROSS-MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
Cherries aren’t quite a year-round fruit, as Stemilt’s Pepperl notes they run from April to mid-June in California, early June to early September in Washington, July to early September in British Columbia and November through February in Chile.
But when it comes to cross-merchan- dising, summer is a key time of the year.
“Cherries are often cross-merchandised with watermelons, picnic supplies, summer beverages and such,” says Pepperl. “They are
dominating in the snack food area and are popular for outdoor eating. Cherries compete with grapes, so this is the one item not to co-merchandise with.”
Jeff Manning, an Orinda, CA-based marketing expert, says dried Montmorency cherries have untapped cross-marketing potential, noting they pair well with most fresh products imaginable, from salad greens to root vegetables and potatoes and onions.
“They also complement fruits, from mainstays like apples, bananas and citrus to seasonable fruit such as peaches, pears and, of course, fresh cherries,” he says. “Again, dried fruit, and tart cherries in particular, have the potential to drive significant, incremental sales to the produce department.”
IT TAKES TEAMWORK TO SELL CHERRIES
Keith Wilson, president of Dinuba,- CA-based King Fresh Produce, which grows, packs and ships Royal, Lynn, Royal Hazel, Royal Tioga, Brooks, Champagne Coral, Tulare, Lapin, Rainier and Bing varieties grown in California, says that cherries require retailers to communicate with their suppliers to stay informed about issues such as crop
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