Tree Top, Inc. was the first grower-owned fruit processing

cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

in the United States. 1,100 apple and pear growers in

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

, and

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

own the cooperative, with the majority of the growers from Washington.

History

Tree Top was founded by Bill Charbonneau, who purchased an apple processing plant in Selah, Washington, after moving from southern California with his family. In the 1950s, Charbonneau developed a brand of apple juice. A contest held among his employees led to choosing the name "Tree Top" due to the perception that the highest quality fruit grows at the tops of trees. A handful of orchardists purchased Tree Top from Bill Charbonneau in 1960 and with the purchase, the growers bought the right to the first clear apple juice process developed and its facilities. In 2008, the cooperative had nearly 1,000 grower/owners in Washington, Oregon and Idaho and along with its subsidiary, Sabroso Company, produce a wide array of fruit-based products and ingredients, including Tree Top apple juice, apple sauce, and fresh sliced apples. In 2010, the Sabroso Company was integrated into Tree Top's cooperative structure, and the cooperative is now the producer of the widest array of fruit products from a single source. Eight fruit processing facilities located along the western United States near the orchards and field of local growers allow the company to use fresh fruits and berries such as strawberries, apricots and grapes to create purées, fruit preps, and nectar in addition to the apple and pear products and ingredients for which it has been known. Tree Top's fruit products are sold throughout the Western United States and distributed by others in many other countries.

References

External links

Official Tree Top website
* {{Authority control Agricultural cooperatives in the United States Apple production Agricultural marketing cooperatives Food and drink companies of the United States Juice brands Companies based in Yakima County, Washington American companies established in 1960 Food and drink companies established in 1960 1960 establishments in Washington (state) Agriculture in Idaho Agriculture in Oregon Agriculture in Washington (state) Economy of the Northwestern United States