"It tastes like you're eating a Bing cherry and a Rainier cherry at the same time," says Chelan Fresh marketing director Mac Riggan, discussing the Orondo Ruby variety which is expected to be in short supply and high demand this month. 

In discussion with www.freshfruitportal.com, the executive said this taste equated to just the right balance between sweetness and acidity for the cultivar bred by Chelan grower Marcus Griggs.

"It was first discovered in 2004 so it's not entirely new but it's been a long time getting to market," he said.

"It's exclusive for us in that we are the only marketer that can sell the fruit."

Riggan expected the variety to hit store shelves on June 20 and be available through to July 14, distributed to select retailers in the United States as well as receivers overseas.

Rather than focusing on a broader campaign, Chelan will be supporting retail partners to deliver targeted messages to consumers.

He was reluctant to reveal which countries would be importing the variety, but highlighted Asia in general was an important market and around 35-40% of the crop would be sold outside the United States.

"There are about 100 acres of it but they’re not all in full production, and they’re mostly in the Orondo area of Washington State," he said.

The fruit has a crisper skin than its counterparts, and a 28-day storage test showed its skin was firmer, had fewer blemishes and split less than other varieties.

"These cherries have been found to store well if not better than most varieties, but frankly we sell them so fast we don’t really know how long they can be stored," he said, clarifying that previously the fruit has shown to arrive in overseas markets in good condition," Riggan said.

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