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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Rainier Cherry |
| Scientific name | Prunus avium |
| Family / Genus | Rosaceae / — |
| Produce category | Stone Fruit |
| Produce subcategory | Cherry |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4240 |
| PLU — organic | 94240 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_1495 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 25.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bing | 45% | The most commercially significant sweet cherry in the US. Large, dark red, firm, very sweet, and juicy. Excellent flavor. Mid-season harvest. |
| Chelan | 8% | An early-season dark red cherry, known for its firmness and good flavor. Provides an early market advantage. Good crack resistance. |
| Lapins | 7% | A self-fertile, late-season dark red cherry. Known for large size, firm flesh, and very sweet flavor. Good crack resistance and productivity. |
| Rainier | 6% | A premium yellow-blush cherry with exceptionally sweet, delicate flavor and tender, juicy flesh. Highly prized for fresh eating. Mid-season harvest. More susceptible to bruising than dark cherries. |
| Skeena | 5% | A self-fertile, late-season dark red cherry. Known for its very firm texture, large size, and excellent sweet flavor. Good crack resistance. |
| Sweetheart | 4% | A very late-season, self-fertile bright red cherry. Medium to large size, firm, and sweet. Extends the cherry season. |
| Tieton | 3% | An early-season dark red cherry, notable for its very large size and exceptional firmness. Good for shipping due to its robust nature. |
| Coral Champagne | 3% | A mid-season dark red cherry, known for its very large size, firm texture, and exceptionally sweet flavor. Popular in California. |
| Garnet | 2% | An early-season dark red cherry, offering good size, firmness, and sweet flavor. Provides an alternative for early market. |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: null°F.
- Freezing point: 29°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 5 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.05 µL/kg·h typical (0.01–0.1) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Sensitivity threshold | 0.1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Rainier cherries are non-climacteric and do not ripen further after harvest. Exposure to exogenous ethylene should be avoided to prevent accelerated senescence and quality loss.
Mixed-load compatibility
Ethylene-sensitive, high moisture, odor-absorbing. Avoid strong odor emitters and high ethylene producers.
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? Yes
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Strong and growing for premium segment, driven by unique flavor and appearance
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.8 |
| Income elasticity | 1.2 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -0.5 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| Rainier | 12% |
| Bing | 55% |
| Chelan | 8% |
| Skeena | 7% |
| Lapins | 6% |
| Sweetheart | 5% |
| Other | 7% |
Pack sizes
- 1lb
- 2lb
- 12x1lb case
- 18lb case
- 20lb case
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
Rendered by commodity_profile_renderer v1.0.0 on 2026-05-15T23:50:00.000Z.