Californian company C.J. Olson Cherries has called on suppliers internationally to label their cherry varieties more accurately on cartons.

Co-owner Deborah Olson, who sells bing cherries from both her home state and Chile, said suppliers need better labeling for their products given the wide spectrum of varieties available.

“The more I became involved in the industry I realised that many more varieties of cherries exist. I started to understand the taste of every one of them and know the differences,” she said.

“I believe it is important to put the variety on the carton, especially the Chilean ones, because there are many other varieties, like those from California, Washington and Canada.”

She said labeling the cherries could also help consumers know how long the produce could be kept cold, how durable the skin was, or how much time could pass before sending them to the next destination.

“I’m not going to send Tartarians, for example, to a certain place because they are very soft, and if I put Bing on them it’s a disadvantage for the consumer,” she said.

She said packers should absorb the bulk of the cost of labeling the correct variety and while there would be a large amount of work involved, the move would benefit both customers and the industry.

C.J. Olson is highly-recognised for its high-quality cherries, with celebrity customers including Apple boss Steve Jobs and TV personality Martha Stewart.

Photo: C.J. Olson Cherries

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com