Press Release

Hazel Technologies, Inc., a USDA-funded technology company delivering new solutions for fresh produce to extend shelf-life, increase sales, and fight food waste, announces the launch of the first-ever virtual Cherry Quality Summit. A one-hour event will be held on Friday, March 26th, the summit will feature keynote speakers from across the industry ahead of the 2021 Northern American cherry season.

Speakers will include Dr. Yu Dong, former Horticulture Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Oregon State University - Hood River Agricultural Extension Office, Anne-Marie Roerink, Founder and Principal of 210 Analytics, David Ortega, Orchard View Cherries, Director of Packaging Operations, and Mario Cervantes, Senior Business Development Manager at Hazel Technologies, Inc.

Keynote speeches will highlight the latest research on cherry post-harvest quality, including stem greening, dehydration, and pitting.

Additionally, speakers will discuss new cherry quality technology that has been tested by Oregon State and Cornell Universities on Bing, Lapins, Sweetheart, Skeena, and Rainier varieties. Experts will also present on domestic and global cherry trends, merchandising, and the shopper journey in 2021 and beyond.

“In the U.S., cherries are among the top 10 fruits and vegetables in terms of absolute dollar growth at retail — a remarkable accomplishment based on the size of the segment,” commented Anne-Marie Roerink.

“I look forward to digging into this performance a lot more to understand what drove success in 2020 and what may be ways to continue the winning streak in 2021.”

“My research vision of preserving fruit quality, reducing postharvest losses, and extending sweet cherries has been the cornerstone to my studies for over a decade,” commented Dr. Yu Dong. “I look forward to sharing insights around proven advancements in postharvest technology.”

“Orchard View looks for premium flavor, size, and harvest timing to create a seamless supply of top-quality cherries,” commented David Ortega.

“We are continually looking for innovative ways to enhance our consumers’ experience, which is why we are excited to participate in the Cherry Quality Summit.”  With over 3,400 acres in The Dalles, Oregon, Orchard View is dedicated to supplying top-selling cherry varieties domestically and worldwide.

“Hazel Tech® invests in extensive research to understand the unique quality and supply chain challenges in cherries. We are excited to offer solutions that can help growers, shippers and retailers provide premium quality fruit to the market. Hazel® is committed to developing pre-harvest and post-harvest technology for cherries and are excited to participate in and sponsor this event” said Mario Cervantes, Senior Business Development Manager Hazel Technologies.

The Cherry Quality Summit is a free event. Registration is open to the general industry until March 26th or until capacity is reached.

To learn more about the event and register, visit www.bit.ly/cherryqualitysummit2021