Published July 2020

If you’re like most Albertans, the first sight of plump B.C. cherries is one of the most exciting arrivals of the season. Our team is passionate about the produce we bring to our markets and cherries are no exception as our July Fresh Pick. For more than a decade we have been dedicated to bringing in not only the best quality cherries, but also developing deep and meaningful relationships with our growers in British Columbia.

Our relationship with our B.C. cherry partners began more than 12 years ago, when our team visited the orchards to learn everything they could about cherries (check out a behind the scenes video of one of the tours here), and met the people behind the fruit who work tirelessly to harvest some of the world’s finest cherries. The work we have done through our B.C. cherry program laid the groundwork for how we approach all our produce offerings throughout the year, with a dedication to bring exceptional fruits and vegetables from B.C. and Alberta to our customers. Our partnerships with our growers is not just about finding the best product, it’s about working with others who share the same family approach to business as we do. When we visit our growers, we pay close attention to how they treat their people and the care and pride they take in their work. When we are invested in their business, they are invested in ours, and an authentic and supportive relationship is formed.

We are grateful to all our produce suppliers for how they welcome our deep curiosity and enthusiasm to learn the ins and outs of what they do, so we can stand behind their products wholeheartedly when it arrives at our markets. Our investment in our partner orchards has provided us priority access to a high quality and truly special crops for the fleeting summer season each year.

The Fresh Pick program was launched around this philosophy – to highlight in-season produce and share our knowledge, innovation and passion behind nature’s best offerings. We love putting our Fresh Pick into the creative hands of our teammates across our departments to bring the ingredient to life in different ways like scratch-made cherry clafoutis from our bakeries and Sunterra Farms smoked B.C. cherry barbeque pork ribs from our kitchens. We’ve also created tons of cherry-packed recipes for you to enjoy at home like B.C. cherry cobbler. In addition to all that deliciousness, we’ve partnered with Calgary’s True Büch to bring our coveted cherry crop into each bottle of their limited edition small batch cherry blossom kombucha.

We look forward to sharing more cherry passion, knowledge, recipes and offers all month long on our social media platforms. Add some cherries to your cart during your next visit to our markets or order online for curbside pickup or home delivery.