US grower partners with LFP and Brandt’s Fruit Trees to extend season into September with premium, late-summer varieties
Stemilt Growers has signed a commercial agreement with Licenses for Fruits and Plants (LFP) and Brandt’s Fruit Trees to grow Kir, a premium selection of late and ultra-late, dark-sweet and blush cherry varieties bred in Germany.
In a press release, the company said the agreement would allow Stemilt – and its licensed growers – to extend the cherry season into September, while also offering consumers a better eating experience with its branded cherries in July and August.
“Stemilt has been visiting LFP’s test blocks in Germany for almost ten years now, so we are excited to see this long-term project move to the commercial stage,” explained Stemilt president West Mathison.
“This is an exciting agreement for Stemilt as we continue to find new ways to extend the cherry season and improve flavour and quality standards for our late-season programmes.”
The collaboration will also enable Stemilt to expand its trademarked offer. “In time, Kir cherries will help us expand our A Half Mile Closer to the Moon Cherry portfolio,” said the company’s fourth-generation grower and owner, Kyle Mathison. “Kir cherries will elevate the consumer experience. These orchard locations offer warm days and cool nights that promote sugars, aromatics and firmness in the late summer.”
German origin
Kir is the brand name for a series of sweet cherries developed by Hilmar Gräb in Kettig, Germany.
The Gräb family is focused on developing optimal cherry characteristics such as size, firmness, and flavour in the late and ultra-late ripening windows.
Hilmar Gräb commented: “We are thrilled to have found an exceptional cherry grower, Kyle Mathison, in Washington State and to be launching the commercial phase of the Kir Cherries with Stemilt.”
He added: “These varieties are ideally suited to Stemilt Hill’s high-altitude orchards, where they produce high-quality and unique cherries that ripen well into September.”
The new partnership brings together three multi-generation, family-run organisations with what Stemilt describes as “a shared passion for innovation” in tree fruit and a “commitment to delivering exceptional fruit” to consumers.
‘New and exciting’
Brandt’s Fruit Trees, a grower and nursery operator, manages the Kir programme in the US, and works closely with breeders and growers to introduce unique, high-quality fruit varieties to the marketplace.
“Brandt’s Fruit Trees prides itself on cultivating long‑term relationships with breeders and growers alike,” said Kevin Brandt, the group’s vice-president and COO.
“We love to see great products build great partnerships, and we’re proud to be part of this new and exciting programme that will bring excellent cherries well into the summer months. We look forward to working closely with Stemilt as we continue to grow and support the Kir cherry varieties.”
Plantings began at Stemilt and licensed growers in 2024, and are expected to be an important component of its output in the years ahead, balancing and extending late-season supply.
“Cherries are Stemilt’s passion,” West Mathison concluded. “We’re focused on cherry innovation, and this agreement marks a pivotal moment in Stemilt’s history as we work to extend the season further into September. We look forward to growing some of the season’s best cherries in partnership alongside other family tree fruit growers.”
