Mar 6, 2012

North American Tart Cherry Industry meets in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The North American Tart Cherry Industry Conference is in full swing at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich. today.

About 175 were scheduled to attend. Organizers guessed that approximately 30 canceled because their farms in northern Lower Michigan were struck by a heavy weekend snowstorm, resulting in damage to older cherry trees and power outages that continued in some areas today.

The morning’s events included an overview of how the industry has evolved economically by Don Ricks, Ph. D., Michigan State University professor emeritus, and a look at the industry’s past promotional efforts from Phil Korson, president and managing director of the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI).

Michael Wehman, senior VP At Weber Shandwick, the public relations firm that is agency of record for CMI, outlined the tart cherry industry’s recent and current promotional campaigns and the research on which they have been based. Look for more coverage in FGN.