Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber

You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker).

As we provide the news for free, we are relying on revenues from our banners. So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.
Thanks!

Click here for a guide on disabling your adblocker.

Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber

Sutherland Cherry Packing House

Donna Reynolds, President of the M&R Company, Tad Brusseau and Ed Huffman with Sutherland SA, Kam Chauhan with FreshPack Okanagan Fruit and Jeremy Fieldman with M&R Company are all onsite and involved in the cherry harvest and packing process.
Donna Reynolds, President of the M&R Company, Tad Brusseau and Ed Huffman with Sutherland SA, Kam Chauhan with FreshPack Okanagan Fruit and Jeremy Fieldman with M&R Company are all onsite and involved in the cherry harvest and packing process.
One of M&R's portable hydrocoolers.
One of M&R's portable hydrocoolers.
Fresh from the orchard, bins of cherries have entered the packing house and are ready to make their way over to the sorting line.
Fresh from the orchard, bins of cherries have entered the packing house and are ready to make their way over to the sorting line.
The start of the Unitec sorting line. The bins are being transported to an elevator.
The start of the Unitec sorting line. The bins are being transported to an elevator.
…
Elevator lifts bin up and gently dumps the cherries in the water.
Elevator lifts bin up and gently dumps the cherries in the water.
Bin with cherries gets turned.
Bin with cherries gets turned.
Cherries come out of the water and make their way over to the cluster cutter.
Cherries come out of the water and make their way over to the cluster cutter.
The cherries are being spread out as evenly as possible before they enter the cluster cutter.
The cherries are being spread out as evenly as possible before they enter the cluster cutter.
The cluster cutter separates the stems into singles.
The cluster cutter separates the stems into singles.
From the cluster cutter, the cherries move on to another hydrocooler.
From the cluster cutter, the cherries move on to another hydrocooler.
…
When they come out of the hydrocooler, leaves are manually taken out before the fruit enters the optical sorting line.
When they come out of the hydrocooler, leaves are manually taken out before the fruit enters the optical sorting line.
…
Hydrocooler in the background and cherries making their way over to the optical sorter.
Hydrocooler in the background and cherries making their way over to the optical sorter.
Employee makes sure no leaves have make it through.
Employee makes sure no leaves have make it through.
The cherries are on their way to the cameras.
The cherries are on their way to the cameras.
The camera takes 10 pictures of each cherry and assesses the color, size, defects and firmness of each piece of fruit. The operator enters the parameters into the system.
The camera takes 10 pictures of each cherry and assesses the color, size, defects and firmness of each piece of fruit. The operator enters the parameters into the system.
Based on the results of the photos, a little jet of air pushes the cherries into the right drop.
Based on the results of the photos, a little jet of air pushes the cherries into the right drop.
Each drop packs for a different size and destination. The Unitec line can pack for up to 24 drops at the same time.
Each drop packs for a different size and destination. The Unitec line can pack for up to 24 drops at the same time.
Boxes are being folded and prepared at the mezzanine level of the building.
Boxes are being folded and prepared at the mezzanine level of the building.
Via a drop chute, the boxes slide down to the packing line.
Via a drop chute, the boxes slide down to the packing line.
Drop chute and packing line in action.
Drop chute and packing line in action.
9 row Smiling Monkey cherries packed and ready to be shipped by air to Vietnam.
9 row Smiling Monkey cherries packed and ready to be shipped by air to Vietnam.
Coral cherries in M&R's black box. Size 8.5 row and destined for export to Korea.
Coral cherries in M&R's black box. Size 8.5 row and destined for export to Korea.
M&R's facility packs cherries under its own labels as well as Sutherland labels.
M&R's facility packs cherries under its own labels as well as Sutherland labels.
Pallets of cherries in a cold room and ready to head to the airport. They are shipped out of San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Pallets of cherries in a cold room and ready to head to the airport. They are shipped out of San Francisco and Los Angeles.