Amy Cohn has two sets of shoes to fill. In January she was appointed president of the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) and the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB) — the first individual to hold both roles. She was introduced to members of the cherry industry at the Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show held Jan. 14-15 at the Grand Traverse Resort.
Cohn made herself available, speaking during the CMI luncheon and in small groups to inquisitive audiences. She found time to provide her first interview with the Leelanau Enterprise. She spoke to special contributor Alan Campbell.
Enterprise: At the cherry industry luncheon, you looked ready to perform cartwheels on the stage when introducing your vision to growers and processors. Is that your normal energy level?
Cohn: It is. Can you tell? I’m a very high energy person. Always have been. I’m a passionate person and when I believe in something I share it.
Enterprise: What has been the overriding message that growers have greeted you with?
Cohn: That they need a higher return on their investment. It’s crystal clear to me.
Enterprise: At the CMI luncheon, you talked a bit about your favorite dessert while growing up. Can you go back into those memories?
Cohn: Of course. My grandma— she was a great cook — made two desserts she was known for. One was cherry pie, and the other was pistachio pudding. I have such fond memories. She would make them for papa, but when I came around we all shared. To my grandma, it became that she was baking for me and papa. I remember the aroma in the kitchen, the homemade crust, adding cherries to the mixing bowl. What I remember most of all was cutting into that pie … it felt so special. This was not a yearly thing, this was a monthly thing.
Enterprise: You’re a dietitian by profession, albeit with a sweet spot for cherry pie. The industry for many years has studied and promoted the health benefits of tart cherries, which helped sales but has not put them at a level creating enough demand to reward growers through profits. Is there still an upside to the healthy sales pitch, or has it peaked?
Cohn: It absolutely has not peaked. Health and wellness benefits continue to grow every year, and I believe tart cherries have an opportunity to elevate and amplify. We still have a runway and an opportunity to do that. Where the work needs to come in is to create a distribution model that allows consumers to find the product they are seeking. I believe there is a subset of the population that knows about the benefits of cherries, but a large part of that population struggles to find those cherries.
Enterprise: You’ve been named the leader of two organizations, CMI and the CIAB, that through the years they have not always communicated in an effective way to themselves or to the public. What are the obstacles that kept them apart? Are they dissolving?
Cohn: Candidly, I’m not sure if I’m aware of all the past obstacles. As I end my second week in this job, I have seen nothing but positivity and collaboration between CMI and CIAB — of course, while recognizing the confidentiality required by USDA with CIAB. But in my time here, I have seen nothing but great communication between the two.
Enterprise: How will sharing one leader help the organizations?
Cohn: I think it will bring a united sense of purpose, strategy and action. I think there is going to be greater alignment and clarity with that unity, which should help drive collaboration among the entire cherry industry.
Enterprise: Have you heard from growers who are considering pulling tart cherry trees if prices don’t improve?
Cohn: Not yet, so no. But I have heard concern that the younger generation of farmers are worried about what the future in this industry looks for them in terms of profitability.
Enterprise: You knew that the cherry industry was hurting when interviewing for the job. Was that an attraction or a distraction from you applying?
Cohn: It was probably an attraction. I am familiar and have worked on food categories that are incredibly beloved but sadly are declining. Ready-toeat cereal, or cold cereal, has been declining for years but many of the products are loved. I’m attracted to food categories that are loved and have a desire to turn them around. So that didn’t scare me. Every business always has complications … but there was not so much with cherries that I did not want to apply for the job.
Enterprise: Does the key to moving the industry out of its funk lie with drawing closer to food manufacturers? How will your background help?
Cohn: Not entirely, but I think it is a key. I think there are many things that will help turn the cherry industry around, and I think among them is the possibility to better partner with food manufacturers.
Enterprise: You live in Minneapolis, which is a great lake away from cherry country in Leelanau County and western Michigan. The CIAB and CMI headquarters are near Lansing, on the other side of Lake Michigan. Will living that far away be a hindrance?
Cohn: No. The power of technology is to our benefit. But I’ll be spending 60 to 70% of my time here in Michigan. I have an amazing family, and my kids are older which allows me to be in Michigan and other cherry grower regions most of the time. And I’ll utilizing our the great technology.
Enterprise: You’ve certainly been given a warm reception in your new role. Are you at least a little surprised at how many hands have been extended your way?
Cohn: I don’t know if I’d say I’m surprised by the openness. I think it’s everything I expected but more. I knew this was a passionate community, a committed community and a smart community. But even knowing that, the warm welcome and hands extended to me are appreciated.
Enterprise: Where will the cherry industry be in one year?
Cohn: One year from now, we are going to be on a path to growth. That’s the bottom line. I really hope to better identify who our core consumer is today, and help determine how to better market and communicate with that target audience. We need to make sure when that audience wants to purchase tart cherries we are in the retail store they are shopping.
AMY COHN
