Strong Northwest Cherry Crop Includes Organic Opportunities

The 2023 Northwest cherry crop is expected to be 40 percent larger than last year and will include a significant increase in organic supplies. Grower-shippers indicated that there will be opportunities to promote organic cherries at favorable price points, especially in the month of July.

“This year the organic cherry crop will make up 3 percent of the total volume," said Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing for Sage Fruit Company in Yakima, Washington. "We should start shipping these the last week of June,” he added, noting that the volume should peak in early July. “We will have promotable volume through the month of July.”

Chuck Sinks, President of Sales and Marketing, Sage Fruit Company

Brianna Shales, marketing director at Stemilt Growers, headquartered in Wenatchee, Washington, said this should be a very good year for organic supplies. “We are expecting a nice bump in organic cherry production in 2023, following a very short, weather-impacted 2022 crop."

Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers

“Stemilt’s organic cherries in Washington will start in mid-June and run through early/mid-August. We grow both organic dark-sweet cherries and organic Rainiers,” she said. “Our focus with Artisan Organics cherries is growing large-sized fruits and picking at optimal maturity to delight consumers with firm, sweet, and dessert-flavored cherries. We find that quality is what drives organic cherry shoppers to repeat purchases.”

Stemilt cherries

July will be the key time for promoting organic cherries, during the two to three weeks following the July 4th holiday. “Of course, this is at this point in time [May 30] and is always subject to change throughout the season," Shales said. "We are excited to have more volume this year versus 2022 to run promotions in the category."

“We find that quality is what drives organic cherry shoppers to repeat purchases.” - Brianna Shales

Another Washington-based fruit grower-shipper with a good supply of organic cherries this season is Domex Superfresh Growers in Yakima. “Superfresh Grower’s supply of NW organic cherries will be up this year,” said Catherine Gipe-Stewart, the company’s director of marketing. “Organic dark-sweet cherries will start shipping about five days after the beginning of cherry season for us, in mid-June. From late June to mid-July, there will be a nice steady flow. [In] mid-July, there will be a large peak, with good promotional volume. We will then drop down to a steady plateau from late July to the first week of August.”

Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Director of Marketing, Domex Superfresh Growers

Organic Rainier cherries are up in volume for the company this season. “We will be rocking and rolling from late June to mid-July,” Gipe-Stewart said.

The Superfresh representative also noted that the company has added a third production line this year in Zilah, Washington, which will allow it to increase its overall production capacity by 30 percent. “We will be able to increase our efficiency and move fruit from orchard to retailer/consumer faster than before,” she said.

Domex Superfresh Growers' Rainier cherries

B.J. Thurlby, President of Northwest Cherry Growers and the Washington State Fruit Commission, said that while organics only represent 3 percent of the crop, that number is far greater than what the industry had a handful of years ago.

“A decade ago, organic cherries only represented 1 percent of the crop; now they are at 3 percent, and that number should continue to increase,” he said. “The consumer trend is unmistakable. They continue to say they want organics, and we are seeing more and more growers looking at organics as an option.”

BJ Thurlby, President, Northwest Cherry Growers and Washington State Fruit Commission

Thurlby said the challenges are there, but there is also a solid premium being paid for that fruit. “We continue to see a $1.50 to $2 per pound differential at retail,” he said. Last year, organic cherries were promoted at $5.99 to $6.99 at retail, and consumers who wanted organics didn’t hesitate to buy at those prices. “This year, we expect to see organics promoted at a lower price point,” he said.

“A decade ago, organic cherries only represented 1 percent of the crop; now they are at 3 percent, and that number should continue to increase. The consumer trend is unmistakable.” - B.J. Thurlby

This year, there is excitement about the size of the Northwest cherry crop. “Last year’s crop was 30 percent below normal, which is typically in the 20 to 21 million box range,” Thurlby said. “This year’s crop is in the normal range, and we think there are going to be 38 percent more cherries to sell. It’s a nice crop; it’s not a barnburner, but it is spread out well.”

The early season is running almost two weeks later than normal, while late season fruit appears to have gained a bit on the timing because of excellent May weather. “It appears the late fruit is only about 10 days later than normal,” Thurlby said. “Last year, the number one issue from retailers was that there wasn’t enough fruit to sell. We don’t think that will be a problem this year.”

Going into June, California growers had shipped about 40 percent of their estimated eight million carton crop and are expecting to have strong volume through the first two weeks of June, with shipments lasting through the entire month. However, it is estimated that only 1 percent of California’s cherry crop is organic.

Thurlby expects the Northwest to be shipping cherries through the summer, with solid volume stretching into late August.