Birth of Cheribundi's Refresh Blends: Federal Farm Bill Promises Bright Future

Good news for fruit farmers... on Friday, Obama flew to Michigan where he signed a Federal Farm Bill that will provide crop insurance for tart cherry growers and other fruit farmers for the first time.

This bill addresses the challenges and frustrations fruit farmers experience when faced with unexpected weather conditions that can destroy their crops. This takes us back to the challenges Cheribundi, among many other cherry growers, faced in 2012 during the worst recorded crop season in the history of the Midwest.

Freezing cold weather that followed an unusually warm spring destroyed most of the fruit crops, and 90 percent of tart cherries. Cherry growers say that record high temperatures in early March tricked the cherries into blooming early and then, the normal cold weather rolled in and destroyed the majority of crops.  

Faced with a supply crisis, Cheribundi was forced to think outside of the box in order to stay afloat.

While faced with huge challenges in 2012, it led our company to explore what turned out to be a great opportunity. The cherry people had to come up with a way to use fewer cherries while still providing a delicious and refreshing product.

An idea that started by squeezing lemons and turning them into cherry lemonade transformed into the launch of our entire Refresh product line; 5 delicious juice blends and 4 refreshing tea blends! Although 2012 was a sour season, Cheribundi ended up finding the silver lining.

There’s a bright future ahead for fruit farmers and cherry growers. The Federal Farm Bill will help and protect them when they are faced with hardships like the ones they were faced with in 2012.

And we can keep on innovating and continue making the tasty Cheribundi we all love.