YAKIMA, WA - The heat is turning up for a fruitful season, Superfresh Growers’ Sarah Lucas, Director of Retail Strategy, recently shared with me as we touched base on the latest developments.

“Superfresh is particularly optimistic about late-season Northwest cherries, including premium Super Cherry™ programs and high-elevation orchards that help extend promotable volume deep into August,” Sarah said.

Additionally, spotlighted varieties like high-color Pink Lady® apples, Galas, large Cosmic Crisp® apples, sweet Autumn Glory® apples, and juicy d’Anjou pears, alongside its highly anticipated summer fruit remain very positive.

According to Superfresh, Cosmic Crisp® continues to gain momentum, with dollar sales up +33.3% and volume up +21.2%, driven alongside Honeycrisp and Pink Lady growth. Blueberries are also showing strong dollar growth (+10.2%), despite industry-wide supply challenges impacting volume. Cherries remain one of the most anticipated summer items, and while current category sales reflect the seasonal timing, retailers were highly engaged in discussions around extended Northwest availability, premium sizing, and opportunities to drive excitement well beyond the traditional July 4 window.

“Recent rain events in California have continued to reduce the crop, and we now expect the California season to finish earlier than originally projected. We stay closely aligned with our retail partners and monitor California movement in real time, allowing us to adjust timing and promotions as needed to help ensure a smooth transition into the Northwest season,” Sarah explained.

On the Northwest side, harvest is expected to begin in the final days of May into early June, starting in the early growing districts and building volume quickly from there. That timing is aligning well with California’s earlier finish, which should help minimize overlap and create a cleaner handoff at retail.

“Our focus is always on maintaining a consistent supply pipeline, avoiding both gaps and excess overlap, so retailers can confidently transition displays and sustain strong cherry promotions throughout the summer,” Sarah concluded, adding that, at this stage, the Northwest outlook is pointing toward an early, high-quality crop, with volume and sizing still developing as we move through the growing season. “We continue to monitor weather and orchard conditions closely, as those factors will ultimately determine final yield and packout.”

The recently released Round 2 Northwest cherry estimate came in at 18.4 million 20-pound box equivalents, reinforcing expectations for a strong and promotable Northwest season ahead. As we continue to keep a finger on the pulse of the developing season, AndNowUKnow will report the latest.