Tree Top
| Company type | Agricultural cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | Bill Charbonneau (original owner) |
| Headquarters | Selah, Washington , United States |
Area served | Western United States, international exports |
| Products | Apple juice, apple sauce, fresh-cut apples, fruit-based ingredients, fruit purées, nectars |
| Website | www |
Tree Top, Inc. holds the distinction of being the pioneering fruit processing agricultural cooperative owned by growers in the United States. The cooperative is comprised of 1,100 apple and pear producers, mainly situated in Washington, with additional members located in Idaho and Oregon.
History
The company traces its origins to Bill Charbonneau, who acquired an apple processing facility in Selah, Washington. In the 1950s, Tree Top introduced a branded apple juice product. The name "Tree Top" emerged from a contest among employees and symbolizes the idea that premium fruit is harvested from the highest parts of the tree. In 1960, a collective of orchardists purchased the business from Charbonneau, gaining ownership of both the first clear apple juice production method and the associated plant.
By 2008, nearly 1,000 grower-owners from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were part of the cooperative. Tree Top broadened its offerings through its subsidiary Sabroso Company to include items such as apple juice, apple sauce, fresh-cut apples, and a variety of fruit-based ingredients.
In 2010, Sabroso was completely incorporated into Tree Top’s cooperative framework, establishing it as the producer with the most extensive selection of fruit products sourced from a single entity. The cooperative operates eight processing plants across the western United States that process fresh fruits including strawberries, apricots, and grapes into purées, fruit preparations, and nectars. These complement its traditional apple and pear product lines. Tree Top distributes its products widely throughout the Western U.S. and also exports internationally.
External links
- http://www.treetop.com
- Stratton, David H. Tree Top: creating a fruit revolution. Washington State University Press, 2010. pp. 65–82.
- 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
- Cooperatives based in Washington