BLOOM FRESH™, breeder of table grapes, cherries and raisins, announced that Wandin Valley Farms has been recognized by the Sydney Children's Hospital for growing the “best cherry” in Australia -- BLOOM FRESH’s Cheery Nebula™ cherry variety. The recognition came at the annual Sydney Markets Cherry Auction in November 2023, an event established in 1980 to raise funds for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
The auction is renowned for selling the 'best tasting cherries' of the season, with proceeds supporting children with cancer in regional areas. Wandin Valley Farms was praised for its commitment to excellence in cherry cultivation as well was chosen as the 'best box of the season' in a competition that involved three of Australia’s top cherry growers.
Kristina Keneally (right), Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation chief executive officer and Brendon Lai of Fresh Produce Group in Australia show the winning cherry.
“[Cheery Nebula] is a beautiful, flavored cherry, bursts in the mouth, big and meaty. I really enjoyed it,” said Kristina Keneally, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation chief executive, who presided over the ”taste-off” to determine the winning cherry variety.
The recognition is particularly significant for the Cheery Nebula variety, marking the first time Wandin Valley Farms has secured this prestigious honor.
"It is truly humbling to be recognized by the Sydney Children's Hospital for our cherry variety,” said Wandin Valley Farms CEO Alison Jones. “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and the genetics that the Cheery Cherries™ breeding program provides."
The winning Cheery Nebula™ cherry variety.
“Seeing Wandin receive recognition for their work has been an absolute pleasure,” said Alwyn van Jaarsveld, BLOOM's International cherry commercial manager. “We work diligently to provide the best genetics to growers and to support our licensees so that they can achieve the best quality fruit possible. This achievement is a testament to that, and really, the cherry on top.”
Cheery Nebula is part of BLOOM’s cherry program called Cheery Cherries™. This program enables growers to harvest cherries with fewer "chill hours" required during the winter. The program is also focused on ensuring quality and uniformity, offering hardy varietals that are less vulnerable to damage caused by either hot drought conditions or excessive rainfall.
For more information:
Tamara Baker
BLOOM FRESH
Tel: +1 661 345 7580
tamara.baker@bloomfreshglobal.com
https://bloomfreshglobal.com/