"Brandt’s Fruit Trees is honored to announce that our company has been granted the exclusive propagation rights in the United States for the KIR™ series of sweet cherries," reports Kevin Brandt, Vice President of Brandt’s Fruit Trees of Yakima, Washington.
KIR™ is the over-arching brand name for a collection of 13 cherry selections developed from open pollinations of the variety Sweetheart by Mr. Hilmar Gräb in Kettig, Germany. Three of the more advanced selections have already been branded by the owner, LFP Licenses for Fruits and Plants GmbH, under the trade names KIR Rosso®, Kir Lamour®, and KIR Vulcano®.
Image 1: KIR Lamour®.
Hilmar Gräb, along with his son and daughter, focus their cherry breeding program on desirable characteristics such as large size (28 mm+), firmness, flavor, and an ultra-late ripening window. Their orchards, located in Germany’s Rhine region, can experience summer rainfall; therefore, tolerance to rain-induced cracking was also a breeding trait they prioritized. Nearly all of the selections are self-fertile, highly productive, and feature the heart-shaped fruit the Sweetheart parent is known for.
Stemilt Growers LLC, a vertically integrated grower, packer, and marketer in Washington State, is known as a leader in offering high quality, late-season cherries under their A Half Mile Closer to the Moon® brand. They have partnered with Brandt’s Fruit Trees to test the cultivars under Washington State growing conditions with an option to commercialize the selections in the United States.
Image 2: KIR Rosso®.
“In finding a partner such as Stemilt Growers, we are confident that the KIR™ series of cherries will soon find a home in the hearts of consumers looking to enjoy first-class Pacific Northwest cherries throughout the summer months,” said Brandt. “Stemilt is excited to test the KIR™ series at our high altitude locations and we look forward to bringing these high-quality selections into the A Half Mile Closer to the Moon® cherry portfolio in time,” said West Mathison, Stemilt president.
Brandt’s Fruit Trees is a family-owned fruit tree distributor in Washington State, specializing in Apples, Pears, and Stone Fruits. The Brandt’s team works hard to offer the industry new and innovative fruit varieties from top breeding programs throughout the world. We take pride in providing responsive customer service and high-quality products propagated in the beautiful Willamette Valley to our growers.
Source: Brandt's Fruit Trees
Image:GRAEB
05 Aug 2025
China’s cherry production is expected to hit 900K tons (+6%) in 2025/26, with record imports of 600K tons. Expanding acreage, new varieties and Chile’s dominance consolidate China’s status as the world’s leading and most influential cherry market for global trade.
16 May 2024
The aim of the research was to develop and validate phenological models for eight sweet cherry varieties. The stochastic single-molecule approach facilitated a better understanding of phenology prerequisites, providing valuable data for agricultural management.
17 Nov 2025
Hort Innovation launches a new project to enhance biosecurity for Australia’s cherry and summerfruit industries. A dedicated officer will support growers, manage pest incursions, and promote best practices to strengthen international market access and on-farm resilience.
17 Nov 2025
Gräb Nursery visits top cherry growers in the UK to evaluate late Kir® varieties. Focus on fruit quality, storage and cracking resistance. In partnership with Frank P Matthews Trees, the aim is to develop stronger, tastier and climate-adapted cherry cultivars.
