Stemilt is kicking off its premium high-altitude cherry program, A Half Mile Closer the Moon, which it describes as the 'grand finale' of the season.

Starting to pack the last week of July, this Moon Cherry cherry program is projected to last through the month of August.

Stemilt’s senior marketing manager Brianna Shales said that Moon Cherries are a great way for retailers to end the season strong and delight consumers.

“The grand finale to cherry season is here and these cherries have impeccable flavor, wonderful aromatics, and a great balance of acids and sugars,” states Shales. “Fourth generation Stemilt cherry grower, Kyle Mathison, once again proves his skill in growing the biggest and sweetest cherries in the Northwest.”

Mathison grows Moon Cherries at his Amigos Orchards in Wenatchee, Washington. The Amigos has the perfect climate for growing late-season cherries thanks to the high elevations, cool summer days, chilly nights and excellent soil conditions. Mathison also applies his own compost to his trees, which provide the trees an extra boost of nutrients.

“Kyle’s experience in growing late-season cherries is obvious due to the program’s success,” explains Shales. “He is so in touch with his crop, that he even tries to align his harvest with the days leading up to the full moon. That’s August 3rd this year and perfect timing.”

Mathison has found that the extra gravitational pull from the pending full moon enhances nutrient delivery from the root of the trees to the fruit hanging from its branches. This extra gravitational pull results in harvesting fruit with amazing quality and ends in a phenomenal eating experience.

“Thanks to Kyle’s creative harvesting methods, we’ve built an amazing brand story and support it with various marketing strategies, including the creation of National Chant at the Moon Day on August 15th,” explains Shales.

“It’s a holiday dedicated to celebrating this unique cherry pack and the moon’s power. It’s a fun way to engage the consumer and create brand recognition.”

Stemilt supports the holiday on a direct to consumer level using their social media channels as well as recruiting help from various influencers who live across the country.

These influencers are carefully chosen to share Moon cherry brand and packaging through their various social platforms. Stemilt will also support in-store sales with geo-targeted social ads that will target social media users in major Moon cherry markets.

“Stemilt has plenty of resources to help retailers promote these Moon Cherries at store level,” explains Shales.

“This brand and the efforts that go into promoting it can really elevate your category. As a high ring item, Moon Cherries have phenomenal quality that can really drive impulse sales. They leave consumers with a memorable eating experience every time.”

A Half Mile Closer to the Moon are available in various packaging options including random weight pouch bags, 1lb. and 2lb. clamshells and 1lb. and 2lb. topseal.