Stemilt Growers in Wenatchee partner with Yakima's Hansen Fruit Company
Stemilt announced it will market Hansen’s 2018 cherry and apple crops exclusively beginning this June and will assist with marketing the balance of the 2017 apple crop. Hansen Fruit is a high quality grower-packer-shipper that aligns with Stemilt’s ideals.
West Mathison, President of Stemilt, says he is excited about the partnership and believes the families are like-minded. “The Hansen family is passionate, humble and hardworking as they share similar values to the Mathison family,” states Mathison. “They have excellent farming practices and their culture fits well alongside Stemilt’s.”
Stemilt will perform all of Hansen’s sales and marketing along with the fruit being packed under Stemilt’s marketing programs.
“The Hansen family produces high quality apples and cherries which fit well into our World Famous Fruit Family,” states Mathison. “We are excited to announce this relationship between Stemilt and Hansen Fruit Company.”
Company spokesman Roger Pepperl told NewsRadio 560 KPQ he did not anticipate the hiring of additional workers to fully integrate the added fruit capacity because the partnership presents more efficiencies for Stemilt to scale up it’s operations.