Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/366055
26 SEPTEMBER 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com W hat started as a way to utilize extra space at a northern California fruit packing house has grown into a thriving mail-or- der fruit business that has expanded to the East Coast in just five years. Golden State Fruit Company, in operation since 2009, sells gift baskets of fresh and dried fruit, nuts, gourmet cheese, fancy snacks, and wine, as well as gifts of monthly fruit deliveries. It uses space at Rivermaid Trading Company, the largest pear grower and packer in California. Six part- ners own Golden State Fruit, two of whom also own Rivermaid Trad- ing. Paul Marchand, a partner, is Golden State Fruit's general manager. Though it's a rela- tively young company, Golden State Fruit has expanded several times at the Lodi location by adding three cold stor- age rooms, a propor- tioning room, and room for storage and assembly. Moreover, a new production facility opened last summer in Pennsylvania. Within the first eight months at the Pennsylvania facility, called Farmstead Gourmet, sales and volume almost matched the Lodi facility output. The Pennsylvania facility, which uses Rivermaid Trading fruit, was established to bring the company closer to the nation's population centers and take advantage of shorter transit time for shipments, says general manager Marchand, who has 40 years' experience in direct marketing. "We ship all gifts with a maximum two-day transit time," he said. "We send full, refrigerated truck trailers of our California fruit to our facility in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and then repack into gift containers." Rivermaid Trading is Golden State Fruit's contracted fruit packer, explained Patrick Archibeque, chief executive officer of Rivermaid Trading and partner in Golden State Fruit. "The original idea was that, as a cherry and pear packing house, we had the capital, facility, and people," he said. "But the facility was underutilized and basically sitting empty for the winter months." The arrangement with Golden State Fruit has worked out well, he said. "It's given us more flexibility with our packing house workforce and helps us keep key people employed year round. Plus, we can move people between the different profit centers to better match work flow." An example of this was in early May. A very light cherry crop meant less time running the cherry packing line, so some workers shifted from sorting cherries to dipping strawberries in chocolate for Mother's Day gifts that were sold by Golden State Fruit. The year-round workforce at Golden State Fruit is around 75, but that number more than doubles during the holiday season. The cyclical nature of gift giving—fall through Decem- ber are the busiest times—fits nicely with Rivermaid Trading's fruit production timing, which is busy in the summer. The gift fruit company runs year round, but it's highly occasion driven. Marchand said that sales are driven primarily through their websites (www.golden- statefruit.com and www.farmsteadgourmet.com) and through search engine marketing and affiliate sales pro- grams. "We have a strong presence on Amazon to reach those die-hard Amazon shoppers." The gift baskets provide Rivermaid Trading with a high-value outlet for their very best pears and stone fruit, he said. Rivermaid Trading also works with pear packers in Medford, Oregon, who put up gift-grade pears for both the Lodi and Pennsylvania gift centers. Dried pears and cherries used in the gift baskets are grown by Rivermaid Trading, though fruit like citrus, kiwi, and apples are sourced from outside the company. Wine can now be included in gift baskets. Last year the company shipped more than a million packages, according to Marchand. "We are planning to double that volume in the next five years." • Gift fruit business grows Golden State Fruit Company has facilities on both coasts. by Melissa Hansen Pears A worker prepares gift baskets at Golden State Fruit Company. GOLDEN STATE FRUIT COMPANY Dolco Packaging New Premium Pear Tray Now available in: Euro Tray Pack Sizes ET 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 U Premium protection for the pears. U Enhances presentation of the fruit. U Packs faster than existing Euro's, by eliminating the use of individual wraps. U Eliminates use of layer pads. Also available: Premium Apple Trays with U Patented design with built-in channels to allow moisture to run off in hot/humid climates. U Available in full line of apple tray sizes (48's through 150's). Dolco manufactures foam packaging and containers in a wide variety of shapes sizes and strength. Contact your DOLCO PACKAGING OR HR SPINNER CORP. Sales Representative for more details. 80VY 1121 South Columbia Street - Wenatchee, WA 98801