WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt is digging for gold – if gold was a new pear packing line. Stemilt’s automated pear line is aimed to be fully operational by 2024 after breaking first grounds at Stemilt Growers in Wenatchee, WA. VP of Production, Todd George, shares a mid-March update on the pear line construction process.
“We are very excited to be breaking ground on our new Rushing Rivers® pear facility with expectations to be operational in February 2024,” says George. “The pear packing line will be connected to our Fresh Center distribution facility where we have all the infrastructure to ripen pears and get them cold quickly in our forced air tunneling rooms.”
Today, Stemilt is in the process of breaking ground and moving water/sewer/storm lines from out under the building. Later in the week, the site will undergo inspection and approval to begin the next step, excavating the footings of the building.
“We hope to have the foundation and walls of the building complete by the end of August so we can start installing the line,” says George. “The new facility will vastly improve productivity with state-of-the-art capabilities in handling, sorting, and packaging.”
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com.
