Cherry Marketing Institute

The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is a U.S.-based agricultural marketing organization dedicated to promoting Montmorency tart cherries grown in the United States. Operating under the consumer-facing brand identity found at ustartcherries.com, the organization serves as the primary promotional and educational body for the U.S. tart cherry industry, representing growers, processors, and product manufacturers across the country. CMI's core mission is to increase awareness and demand for U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries among consumers, foodservice professionals, and CPG product developers alike.

Montmorency tart cherries, the variety behind nearly every tart cherry product sold in the United States, are the centerpiece of CMI's efforts. The organization communicates the unique sensory qualities of Montmorency cherries — their bold, unmistakably tart flavor and bright ruby-red hue — as well as their versatility across a wide range of product formats including juices, concentrates, dried fruit, frozen, and canned applications. These products are harvested at peak ripeness and made available year-round, making them a reliable ingredient for both retail and foodservice channels.

A key initiative championed by CMI is the True Tart™ certification mark, a program designed to help consumers and buyers quickly identify products made with verified U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries. Products bearing the True Tart™ mark must meet established program standards, providing assurance of authenticity and quality. This mark appears on a variety of retail product formats including dried cherries, frozen cherries, and bottled juices and concentrates.

CMI also provides resources related to the health and nutritional research surrounding Montmorency tart cherries, with ongoing studies exploring their potential benefits in areas such as exercise recovery and sleep support. This research-driven positioning supports the ingredient's appeal to health-conscious consumers and functional food and beverage developers.

The organization places strong emphasis on the provenance of U.S.-grown tart cherries, highlighting the multigenerational family farming operations that produce the fruit. Decades of accumulated growing knowledge, careful harvest timing, and established agricultural practices contribute to the consistency, flavor, and quality that food professionals and ingredient buyers depend upon. This farm-to-product narrative reinforces the value proposition of sourcing domestically grown Montmorency tart cherries for CPG applications.

For B2B buyers and product developers, CMI serves as a key resource for sourcing guidance, ingredient education, and market support related to U.S. tart cherry ingredients across multiple formats and applications.