Stemilt Growers increases Northwest pear dominance by opening new pear facility
Stemilt Growers increases Northwest pear dominance by opening new pear facility
Wenatchee, WA-based Stemilt Growers, a major player in U.S. tree fruit production, recently opened the doors of its new Miller Street pear facility in Wenatchee.
According to Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl, the new facility features two commit-to-pack lines, a post-harvest pear-ripening center and a network of cold storage rooms.
Mr. Pepperl said that the new pear lines will increase efficiencies and give the company more flexibility when filling orders.
"We now have a one-stop shop for pears," Mr. Pepperl said in a press release. "Not only have our packing, ripening and storing facilities become centralized, but we also have the ability to run multiple varieties at one time, including organic and conventional fruit."
Both packinglines, designed specifically for pears, have increased sorting capacity, longer brush beds to extend cleaning power and a new digital sorting system that accurately sorts and sizes fruit. In addition, the company created a comfortable, people-friendly interior for the building.
Construction at the Miller Street facility started in January after Stemilt sold the packinghouse it previously used for pears, and the new operation was in place for Bartlett harvest, which began mid-August.
In addition to packing pears, Stemilt will use the Miller Street facility for storing and ripening. The company's post-harvest ripening center is called RipeRite and was developed five years ago in order to provide consumers with ready-to-eat pears using a process similar to banana ripening.
In 2007, Stemilt teamed up with Peshastin Hi-Up Growers in Peshastin, WA, to become one of the larger pear shippers in North America. Like Stemilt, Hi-Up has one of the more modern packing facilities in the pear industry. This season, the two companies will have the capacity to pack pears on four different lines per shift, according to Mr. Pepperl.
"With our increasing supply of organics and array of classic and specialty varieties, we look forward to continuing our leadership in pears for years to come," he said in the release.
According to Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl, the new facility features two commit-to-pack lines, a post-harvest pear-ripening center and a network of cold storage rooms.
Mr. Pepperl said that the new pear lines will increase efficiencies and give the company more flexibility when filling orders.
"We now have a one-stop shop for pears," Mr. Pepperl said in a press release. "Not only have our packing, ripening and storing facilities become centralized, but we also have the ability to run multiple varieties at one time, including organic and conventional fruit."
Both packinglines, designed specifically for pears, have increased sorting capacity, longer brush beds to extend cleaning power and a new digital sorting system that accurately sorts and sizes fruit. In addition, the company created a comfortable, people-friendly interior for the building.
Construction at the Miller Street facility started in January after Stemilt sold the packinghouse it previously used for pears, and the new operation was in place for Bartlett harvest, which began mid-August.
In addition to packing pears, Stemilt will use the Miller Street facility for storing and ripening. The company's post-harvest ripening center is called RipeRite and was developed five years ago in order to provide consumers with ready-to-eat pears using a process similar to banana ripening.
In 2007, Stemilt teamed up with Peshastin Hi-Up Growers in Peshastin, WA, to become one of the larger pear shippers in North America. Like Stemilt, Hi-Up has one of the more modern packing facilities in the pear industry. This season, the two companies will have the capacity to pack pears on four different lines per shift, according to Mr. Pepperl.
"With our increasing supply of organics and array of classic and specialty varieties, we look forward to continuing our leadership in pears for years to come," he said in the release.
