Customers of FNBO—Colorado Cherry Company’s Story

Customers of FNBO—Colorado Cherry Company’s Story

FNBO is proud to feature Colorado Cherry Company, a family-run business specializing in jams, jellies, juices, ciders and pies. We spoke with owner Kristi Lehnert to learn more about this multi-generational family business.

“My husband's grandparents started the business in Wisconsin 93 years ago. They had a fruit stand — pies and all that good stuff. My father-in-law moved to California and opened Cherry Tree in the 1960s, then came to Colorado and bought the Loveland store.”

“I became involved about 25 years ago when I started working for them, and when they retired 15 years ago, I bought the business. And in March my son opened his location in Denver. So now we're 4th generation.”

In addition to the Loveland and Denver locations, Colorado Cherry Company has a full-service restaurant and bakery in Lyons, Colorado, and a café that operates out of the famous Hotel Stanley in Estes Park. And while Lehnert takes pride in operating a family business, she admits it hasn’t always been easy.

“We've survived floods, fires and a pandemic, but we're very blessed. We've weathered all the storms and came out on the other side. It's a lot of hard work, but if you're passionate about it, it doesn't feel like work. I look forward to challenges, but you have to be passionate about your business.”

Lehnert credits much of Colorado Cherry Company’s success to its ability to adapt and overcome challenging circumstances.

“You have to be able to pivot. If you don't change and accommodate, you die, and we've learned that so many times.”

Lehnert credits the business’s successful growth not just to her family’s vision and the work of her employees, but to her banking partners at FNBO as well.

“The people we partner with have helped, too. Without that piece it's impossible to grow and expand. FNBO has helped a lot, and now our banker, Erica Herman, is helping our son with his business. Erica is phenomenal. We consider her and FNBO as part of our essential team.”

Despite the challenges Colorado Cherry Company has faced, there’s a reason it continues to thrive in 2021. Lehnert’s theory?

“People love pie and it makes them happy.”

Learn more about Colorado Cherry Company and visit their online store.