CMI Declares July the Month of Jumbo Cherries

Columbia Marketing International (CMI) has declared July to be the month of jumbo cherries in response to the season's larger than usual sizing and top of the line sugar levels coming from the Pacific Northwest. To meet the demand, CMI is setting up retail programs with their retails customers to make sure that they have adequate supplies in stores. Also as part of CMI's cherry promotions this season, CMI is tooling their customers with a high-graphic instant cherry display, which ship with two-boxes of red or Rainier cherries. The pictured display can be easily assembled in less than 30 seconds. According to Steve Lutz, vice president of marketing at CMI, the industry has an incredible opportunity with this year’s Northwest cherry crop. "After a low cherry production out of California this season, consumers are hungry for cherries. With our estimated 22 million box crop out of the Northwest this year, consumers can expect great eating cherries, with larger than normal sizing,” he says. Warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights have provided optimal growing conditions for the Northwest cherry crop this season, leading to high sugar development and great flavor. Packouts continue to be high; this trend looks like it will only continue through the end of the season, offering a great retail opportunity for stores looking to increase incremental sales in their produce section now through the beginning of August, note company officials.