Crunch Pak has been in the healthy snacking business for more than two decades, growing apples in the orchards throughout Washington’s Wenatchee Valley.

The team at Crunch Pak is focused on turning its local Washington apples into something fun and convenient for everyone on the go.

Paper, Pulp and Film is a family-owned paper converting business in Fresno, CA, dedicated to producing sustainable packaging solutions. This independent company specializes in a variety of paper boxes designed for the retail of fruits and vegetables.

Sage Fruit Growers, based in Yakima, WA, farm several thousand acres of orchards throughout central and eastern Washington. While specializing in pears and cherries, the bulk of Sage’s manifest is Washington apples. “By using the most efficient growing methods available, we are able to deliver high quality products to our customers year-round,” said Kaci Komstadius, vice president of marketing at Sage Fruit.

The 2023 apple crop is shaping up nicely after receiving incredible weather in Washington state. “The 2023 apple crop has taken a complete 180 compared to last year’s crop,” said Brianna Shales, marketing director at Stemilt Growers. “We’re very excited for the upcoming season and are expecting more apples with great eating quality and color as a result of the optimal weather we’ve had in Washington.”

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association estimates the state's 2023 fresh apple crop to come in just over 134 million standard 40-pound boxes of fresh apples, a 28.8 percent increase from 2022’s 104.3 million boxes. The 2022 harvest was much smaller than normal due to a very cold spring, with snow that inhibited pollination during bloom.

Matt Miles, a long-time organic salesman in the Washington apple industry, died Dec. 7. He was 49.

A 27-year veteran of the apple industry Mr. Miles made a name for himself in organic apple sales dating back to 1997 with a variety of companies like FirstFruits Marketing and L&M Northwest.