Packing & Storage

As growers entrust their fruit to Columbia Valley fruit, they can be assured that the packing and storage facilities are state-of-the-art. Our major investments in the infrastructure necessary for optimum processing conditions benefits the growers who work with us.

As pioneers of best practices in food safety and the processing of fruit, Columbia Valley Fruit will ensure that your fruit it processed and delivered to market in optimum condition for the best pricing available.

Packing Facility Storage Facilities

Packing Facility

At Columbia Valley Fruit we have invested in the latest technology to respond to the needs of our customers. In our 80,000 square foot packing facility located in the Yakima Valley, Washington, we have installed an AWETA auto line packing system which sizes, color sorts, and packages apples according to the unique requirements of each individual customer.

Our highly automated apple packing system increases efficiency, resulting in higher returns for our growers. Included in our packing system are five SIMS poly baggers, five soft bin fillers, and two Giro mesh baggers, allowing us to efficiently package apples according to customer requirements. Packaging methods include poly bags, tray pack, clamshells, mesh bags, and tri-wall bulk bins.

Our automated labeling system ensures traceability of the fruit we handle. Every package of apples that leaves our facility can be traced to the block within the individual orchard where the fruit originated, ensuring accuracy, efficiency and quick response in the event of food safety concerns.

Because we handle both organic and conventionally grown apples, our packing line is cleaned thoroughly when switching from conventional to organic apples. This ensures compliance with certified organic fruit handling requirements.

All of the apple bins we handle are cleaned in an automatic bin washer, ensuring the quality and safety of the product. Trucks carrying our fruit are inspected and must meet high standards of cleanliness, or they will not be allowed to carry our fruit. At Columbia Valley Fruit we strive to maintain the excellent reputation of our facility and our growers, so we take food safety very seriously.

Our packaging facility has a four-bay shipping dock, allowing for timely shipments. All of the packaged fruit is palletized and scanned through our automated system before it enters the truck. This ensures that the right product is loaded on the right truck every time.

Our packing facility is located in Union Gap, Washington. There is convenient access for shippers just 1 ½ miles from Interstate 82, and our facility is centrally located among all of our Central Washington growers.

At Columbia Valley Fruit we offer over 200,000 square feet of modern storage and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) capacity, with 60 rooms with sizes ranging from 450 bin to 1,700 bin rooms.

Our range of room sizes allows for each of the multiple apple varieties we store to have separate storage space, which increases efficiency. Smaller rooms can be filled quickly and sealed so the apples can be placed in the most optimum CA conditions in a timely manner. We implement the best CA conditions for each apple variety to ensure the freshest possible quality apple delivered to market.
Smaller rooms also allow our marketing company to respond to hot spots in the market. When market demand for a specific variety spikes, we will pack and ship just the right amount of that variety so as not to flood the market.

Our packing and storage facilities are designed and managed to ensure good prices for our fruit and good returns for our growers.