A new three-year project led by Delytics is now underway to improve the quality of Australian cherries and strengthen consumer confidence.

This project aims to raise the overall quality of Australian cherries by developing and supporting the adoption of an agreed minimum maturity standard across the industry. Through an industry-led process, the project will develop guidelines to support all producers - whether they are already consistently producing high quality fruit or need help to meet the agreed standard. By improving eating quality consistency and overall acceptability, the project will enhance consumer satisfaction and strengthen the reputation of Australian cherries in both domestic and export markets, which will lead to increased demand.

Funded by Hort Innovation using the cherry research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government, the Monitoring Cherry Supply Chain Quality (CY25002) project is led by Delytics in partnership with the Cherry Growers Australia and Rudge Produce Systems Pty Ltd.

The project will involve extensive consultation with industry stakeholders, along with targeted supply chain monitoring and sensory analysis. This work will enable the industry to set an evidence-based minimum maturity standard. Monitoring at wholesale and retail will assess how well fruit aligns with the emerging standard and highlight opportunities for improvement. The data and insights gathered will directly inform tools, training, and technical resources made available to growers and packhouses.

Delytics has successfully led similar quality improvement projects for Citrus Australia, the Australian Table Grape Association, and Melons Australia. These projects have helped these industries establish robust minimum maturity standards that have directly improved consumer satisfaction. Delytics also has a strong understanding of cherry maturity gained through monitoring fruit development and harvest timing in both Australia and New Zealand.

Rudge Produce Systems brings specialist capability in supply chain monitoring and has worked closely with Delytics on similar projects. Their experience assessing fruit quality at wholesale, retail, and distribution centres ensures the industry will have reliable insights into how cherries perform once they leave the orchard. The CSIRO Sensory and Consumer Science team will complement this work in the New Year by carrying out consumer taste panels. The analysis of the consumer sensory data and associated fruit property measurements will help the sector collectively decide what minimum standards should be put in place to consistently deliver cherries that most consumers will enjoy.

Retail monitoring started in Melbourne in early December and will be extended into Sydney and Brisbane by the end of the month. This early work will help establish a baseline understanding of current fruit quality across the supply chain. The insights gathered will guide industry discussions as the project begins shaping the minimum maturity standard and associated guidelines.

This project directly supports Outcome 1 of the Cherry Strategic Investment Plan to increase demand by improving the consistency and quality of fruit available throughout the season. By focusing on quality improvement as a shared industry goal, this project will help build trust with consumers and create long-term value for the Australian cherry sector.