FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2008
www.stemilt.com
Contact Information:
Roger Pepperl
Marketing Director
Stemilt increases Northwest pear dominance by opening state-of-the-art pear facility
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt Growers, one of the nation’s leading tree fruit operations, opened the doors of its new, state-of-the-art pear facility earlier this month. Located in Wenatchee, Washington, the Miller Street facility features two commit-to-pack lines, a post-harvest pear ripening center, and a network of cold storage rooms.
According to Stemilt marketing director Roger Pepperl, 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,” said Pepperl. “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 packing lines 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.
New floors, catwalks, lighting system and dust-resistant ceiling will all serve to increase efficiencies, as well as brighten up the interior of the building to create a quality work environment.
Stemilt began construction on the Miller Street facility in January after selling the facility where pears where previously packed. The facility upgrades were completed according to plan and in time for Bartlett harvest, which began on August 15th.
According to Pepperl, the new lines were designed specifically to handle and pack pears—a complex process due to the delicate nature of the fruits and the wide range of sizes and shapes of different pear varieties. Both lines are also equipped to run varietal apples, he said.
In addition to packing pears, Stemilt will continue to use the Miller Street facility for storing and ripening the fruits. Stemilt’s advanced post-harvest ripening center, which is formally called RipeRite, was developed five years ago in order to provide consumers with ready-to-eat pears. It follows a similar process as used to ripen bananas and provides an additional tool to help retailers promote the pear category.
“It can be difficult to tell when certain pear varieties are ripe,” said Pepperl. “The RipeRite program brings a much-needed level of consistency to the pear category. Consumers no longer have to wait for their pears to ripen because they are ready to enjoy right after purchase.”
In 2007, Stemilt teamed up with Peshastin Hi-Up Growers, of Peshastin, Washington, to become one of the largest shippers of premium pears in North America. Like Stemilt, Hi-Up has one of the most 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, Pepperl said.
The majority of Stemilt’s pears are grown in the legendary Upper Wenatchee River Valley region. The area’s mountain surroundings, cool temperatures and fertile soil create an ideal environment that pears thrive in.
According to Pepperl, this will be the most exciting season yet for Stemilt pears. “The new facility and existing partnership with Hi-Up gives us a better capacity and more flexibility than anyone else in the business,” he said. “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.”