BelleHarvest innovating the apple category

With more than 50 years of produce experience, Belding, MI-based BelleHarvest is committed to delivering consistent, high-quality, flavorful apples — season after season.

“We have seen a 55 percent increase in the volume of our year-round program from last season and have added varieties to round out our high-flavor line-up,” Milt Fuehrer, chief executive officer of Belleharvest, told The Produce News toward the end of May.

BelleHarvest offers a robust program of conventional, traditional and high-flavor apple varieties, including Honeycrisp, EverCrisp, SweeTango, Smitten, Fuji, Gala, Toapaz and Red Delicious. The company also recently launched sustainable apple boxes, which are 100-percent recyclable and are optimized for e-Commerce sales and in-store merchandising.

“We currently offer sustainable boxes for Honeycrisp, Gala and Fuji, but are expanding into our other high-flavor varieties this year,” Fuehrer said.

In more exciting news, BelleHarvest recently acquired Valley View Co., which increased its overall growing and storage capacity by 20 percent, providing the company with a greater ability to expand its varietal mix and enhance overall quality for the end consumer.

“This strategic move reinforces us as one of the top apple growers-shippers of premium quality in Michigan,” said Casey Jarrard, vice president of sales and marketing at BelleHarvest. “We are currently the second largest in Michigan.”

BelleHarvest is also in the process of expanding out its local and national vegetable program.

“We now have a year-round program of conventional wet vegetables with the ability to ship nationwide,” Jarrard said.

In the coming months, Belleharvest will be attending the IFPA Retail show, IFPA Foodservice and IFPA Global Produce Show. For more information, visit www.belleharvest.com.

Photo: Casey Jarrard, vice president of sales and marketing at BelleHarvest and Milt Fuehrer, chief executive officer.