Stemilt plans to display a variety of fresh offerings from the up-and-coming Cosmic Crisp apple to its most premium cherry program, Kyle’s Pick cherries, at this year’s CPMA show.

Harvest is in full swing for Skylar Rae cherries, bringing the highly anticipated sweet, crunchy, bi-colored cherries to shelves for a profitable short season.

Sarah Barkley, domestic sales at CMI Orchards, said demand is skyrocketing each year as more consumers discover “The Sweetest Cherry You’ll Ever Eat.”

Organic cherries can be exclusive some seasons because of volume and availability fluctuations, but this year will be a different story as volume and timing align in a succinct promotional window. Brianna Shales, Stemilt's marketing director, said retailers can use the company’s Artisan Organics dark-sweet cherries to promote, merchandise and build sales with a sweet, seasonal treat.

Washington Fruit Growers has plans for a second state-of-the-art cherry packingline at its Washington Fruit & Produce campus, set to be operational for the 2025 cherry season. This significant investment will expand the company’s packing capabilities, allowing for increased capacity to serve its growing needs from the field and customer base. The company said it is excited to expand its footprint on catch weight packaging, clamshells and other customer-driven demands.

CMI Orchards is primed to supercharge summer sales this Fourth of July. Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing, said patriotic holidays like the Fourth of July offer retailers special opportunities to honor veterans and support military families.

The highly anticipated 2024 Northwest cherry season has officially begun, marked by favorable weather conditions that have set the stage for a promising harvest. Growers in the region are reporting excellent crop quality, with the perfect balance of warm days and cool nights contributing to optimal size and flavor of the cherries.