Definitive Contract 123J1424C0665

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $4.33 million definitive firm fixed-price contract to Cherry Central Cooperative, Inc., a small agricultural cooperative based in Ludington, Michigan, for the procurement of apple juice in 8 fluid ounce plastic bottles. The contract, awarded January 10, 2024, with an ultimate completion date of September 11, 2024, is designated as a total small business set-aside and supports the federal government's commodity procurement initiatives. Cherry Central will fulfill deliveries from its primary facility in Ludington, Michigan, to distribution points across the continental United States in accordance with Agricultural Acquisition Regulation requirements mandating domestic sourcing and processing.

This procurement aligns with the USDA's broader commodity acquisition program, which supplies nutritious shelf-stable and processed fruit products to federal food assistance programs including the National School Lunch Program and other domestic nutrition initiatives. Cherry Central has established itself as a reliable supplier to the Agricultural Marketing Service, with extensive contracting experience and multiple active indefinite delivery contracts valued at over $11.2 million. The bottled juice products procured under this award will support the government's mission to distribute essential nutritional commodities to beneficiaries of federal food and nutrition assistance programs nationwide.