UNSPSC 50302523: Stella cherries

The variety of cherries known as stella cherries

UNSPSC 50302523 Stella cherries, a Commodity code, appears in state and local procurement activity primarily through food service contracting for school districts and child care programs, though the recent opportunities block shows no solicitations explicitly requesting stella cherries by that designation. Instead, the code's activity is reflected in broader fresh produce procurements where cherries may be itemized alongside other stone fruits and berries. Recent state and local buyers soliciting under fruit and produce codes span school nutrition programs (the dominant category), child care food service programs, senior services, and county correctional facilities. School districts represent the largest share—entities including Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia, Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, Austin Independent School District in Texas, and numerous Georgia county boards of education all conduct regular produce solicitations. Smaller-volume activity appears through cooperative purchasing vehicles such as the GEC Buying Cooperative, which aggregates demand across 30 Georgia school districts, and specialized programs like the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) serving elementary students. Child care agencies including Head Start of Greater Dallas and the City of Edinburg's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) also source fresh produce regularly.

Recent procurements reveal that actual cherry sourcing occurs within larger fresh-fruit categories rather than as standalone line items. The Savannah-Chatham County RFP (Bid 26-34, due April 23, 2026) spans 72 fresh produce items with estimated annual quantities reaching 21,125 cases for Fuji apples alone; the Glynn County Board of Education IFB (IFB 27-02, due April 14, 2026) covers 60 produce line items; the McAllen Independent School District RFP (20261029, extended deadline) encompasses comprehensive fresh produce for 31 campuses; and the GEC Buying Cooperative RFP (SN 26-004, due March 4, 2026) structures pricing across approximately 72 line items on a cost-plus-fixed-fee model serving an estimated $5.5 million annual market across two Georgia geographic areas. Geographic concentration of recent activity is heaviest in Georgia (Savannah-Chatham, Bulloch, Dougherty, Bryan, Hancock, Glynn, Liberty, Muscogee counties), with secondary activity in Texas (Austin, McAllen, Edinburg) and Florida (Hillsborough). Evaluation criteria across these solicitations consistently weight cost at 30–50 percent, with quality, delivery reliability, and compliance (Buy American, HACCP, food safety) splitting the remainder. No set-asides specific to the cherry commodity appear in the source material; participation is open to qualified vendors meeting insurance, licensing, and food-safety certifications. The code's activity suggests steady institutional demand but does not surface a distinct market for stella cherries specifically—buyers procure by broader produce categories and seasonal availability rather than cherry variety.