Ever seen cherries labelled "J," "JJ" or "JJJ" in a Chinese supermarket? Here's what it means.
In China, imported sweet cherries are called "che li zi," a transliteration of the English word "cherries." They're sold by size grade, and the number of J's tells you the diameter. Based on common labels on Chinese e-commerce platforms:
J: about 26 to 28 mm
JJ: about 28 to 30 mm
JJJ: about 30 to 32 mm
4J: about 32 to 34 mm
Each extra J adds roughly 2 mm, and can add quite a bit to the price.
Right now is Chilean cherry season in China. Chile's summer is China's winter, so the first air shipments arrive in late October, with peak supply in December and January, just in time for New Year and Lunar New Year gifting.
China is Chile's biggest cherry customer by far: according to 21st Century Business Herald, China has bought more than 90% of Chile's cherry exports for seven years in a row.
Does anywhere near you grade fruit by size like this?
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