bringing clarity, consistency and confidence.
what is true tart™?
Introducing True Tart™, an industry-owned certification mark designed to identify products that contain a meaningful amount of U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries. The True Tart™ mark will appear on approved product packaging as a clear, visible signal that a product meets established sourcing and inclusion standards.
Because product labeling does not always specify variety or origin, the True Tart™ mark provides a standardized way to connect what appears on a package with the Montmorency variety used in the majority of tart cherry research. Over time, the mark is intended to support greater transparency for foodservice and ingredient buyers, health professionals and consumers seeking products made with U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries.
why it matters
Here's the problem: products across the marketplace often use the term “tart cherry” without clearly communicating variety or origin, creating inconsistency across the category and making it more difficult to connect products to the Montmorency variety and the existing body of tart cherry research.
The solution is True Tart.™ Designed to help strengthen and protect the long-term value of U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries by providing the industry with a unified, standardized way to communicate sourcing and product composition. For growers, processors and brand partners, the mark helps support:
Clearer differentiation for products made with U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries.
More consistent communication of sourcing and product composition.
A stronger connection between product labeling and existing tart cherry research.
By aligning research, sourcing and on-pack communication, True Tart™ helps create a more transparent and understandable marketplace for tart cherry products.
program eligibility & participation
The True Tart™ certification mark is available to eligible U.S. growers, handlers and processors whose products meet defined program standards.
Participation is voluntary and follows a consistent framework for identifying products made with
U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries.
take the next step
To support proper use of the True Tart™ certification mark and to strengthen the mark through consistent application across the industry, we’ve developed a comprehensive toolkit of resources.
To learn more and gain access to the toolkit, please contact tarttalk@usacherries.com.