CMI Orchards, its growers, partners and retailers are enjoying success built on accurate trend forecasts first identified years ago.

“CMI Orchards is built on a culture of looking toward the future. This ethos is driven by our owners and embraced by our entire team, including our growers, partners, and retailers. Our shared expertise and emphasis on data analysis has helped us identify consumer and retail trends, then position our efforts to maximize those opportunities,” said Bob Mast, president of CMI Orchards.

Michigan apple lovers have a new variety to get excited about with the EverCrisp, a cross between Honeycrisp and Fuji. This late-season apple stores well and is long-lasting, boasting even better quality coming out of storage. The variety shares the sweet and crisp qualities of its parent varieties and can last for weeks without refrigeration.

Tim Corkill, marketing manager for FirstFruits Marketing and longtime produce industry member, died Jan. 9. He previously worked with the Pear Bureau Northwest as western regional marketing manager, California Grape Commission as western manager and with Fresh Western, River Ranch Inc. as director of marketing services.

The umbrella of CMI Orchards’ owners and partners are leading the industry with their use of cutting-edge technology from the orchard to packing facilities. Adopted innovation delivers efficiency increases, enhancements to freshness and consistency in quality, and an ability to stay relevant at retail.

With so many new, flavorful apple varieties competing for retail shelf space, many retailers are tempted to rotate these varieties to give their consumers the opportunity to sample diverse tastes.

This may be an educational process for consumers, but the philosophy may also fall short on maximizing apple sales, while drawing repeat customers to a store.