UNSPSC 50532526: Dried non GMO maraschino cherries

The variety of non GMO cherries known as non GMO maraschino cherries that have been dried for preservation. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50532526 Dried non-GMO maraschino cherries (Commodity) appears in state and local procurement primarily as a line item within broader grocery and food-service supply contracts rather than as a standalone procurement focus. Recent opportunities demonstrate that dried non-GMO maraschino cherries are solicited as part of comprehensive food supply contracts for school nutrition programs, senior meal services, and institutional food operations across multiple jurisdictions. State and local buyers—including school districts, county boards of education, state health agencies, and municipal purchasing departments—source dried and specialty fruit items as components of master grocery agreements, fresh-produce contracts, and USDA commodity food service arrangements. The sourcing occurs within larger, multi-category food procurement ecosystems where dried cherries compete for shelf space alongside fresh produce, frozen items, condiments, and prepared foods, all subject to Buy American provisions (51 percent domestic agricultural content in processed products), HACCP food safety protocols, and nutritional labeling requirements under the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act and USDA compliance standards.

Activity under the code concentrates in school districts across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, with recent solicitations from Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia (Master Grocery K-12, IFB 2000004323, due April 27, 2026), Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut (commercial groceries and USDA Foods, RFP 026-41, due February 25, 2026 with anticipated award April 24, 2026 and contract value of approximately $3,100,000), Bulloch County Board of Education in Georgia (school nutrition grocery bid for 2026-2027, IFB #043025, due May 4, 2026), and Douglas County School System in Georgia (food supply and distribution services, RFP 26-003, due February 18, 2026 with estimated annual spend of approximately $9,000,000). The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut sourced grocery items including dried specialty fruits for the Board of Education's Food & Nutrition Services under IFB BNB052266, with bids due June 30, 2026. Firms pursuing these contracts must meet commodity-level specifications embedded in master food service agreements, comply with state and federal food safety certifications, maintain commercial general liability insurance at $1,000,000 minimum per occurrence, and demonstrate capacity to deliver within tight scheduling windows (typically Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) to multiple school sites on firm fixed-price, prepaid-freight terms with payment in 30–45 days.