By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
A reinvigorated BC Tree Fruits officially (re)opened on Nov. 3 with the new owners focusing on not just efficiency and quality but leaning hard into building a solid partnership with growers, something that was severely bruised over the years under the former cooperative.
The new company will also resurrect the growers supply business that was a key part of the former cooperative business with the new entity serving all of BC and “filling the void that we know is there,” said BC Tree Fruits board member Bill Morrison.
“We’ll start with four locations and grow as the demand dictates; tree fruits, vineyards, vegetables, cover crops throughout BC will now be able to get fertilizers, chemicals, consumables that they need, and like BC Tree Fruits, we hope to employ a lot of the previous grower supply employees,” he added.
Since the $22.75 million acquisition of the court-ordered sale of the assets of the former BC Tree Fruits Cooperative in May of this year, the new owners have been busy dusting off and (re)commissioning the $80 million high-tech automation system that was installed only months before the business was shuttered in July 2024.
Wildstone CEO Mark Melissen.
Don Urquhart photo
The new owners under the umbrella Wildstone Capital consist of a group of Okanagan business people led by Mike and Mark Melissen, better known as the duo behind Wildstone Construction Group along with Kirk Kemp who runs the largest inded one of the country’s largest apple growing and packing operations in Ontario – Algoma Orchards – who provides the key sector knowledge and experience.
At the official opening ceremony Wildstone CEO Mark Melissen noted that he grew up “down the road” in Penticton, saying “it is a real honour to stand here representing a business that’s been part of this region’s identity for nearly 90 years.”
He added that running a packing house might sound simple – “you just need perfect fruit, perfect timing and perfect machinery and a great sense of humour when none of those things happen,” he said to chuckles from the largely grower audience.
But on a serious note Melissen described the official (re)opening of the BC Tree Fruits packing facility as a “moment of pride and renewal”. He added that BC Tree Fruits has always been more than simply a business.
“It’s been a symbol of our province’s agricultural strength, our growers’ dedication and shared belief in the importance of local food, Canadian supply and community resilience.
“We’re proud to continue the legacy of one of BC’s and Canada’s most storied companies, and to carry it forward as a revitalized, community-focused business built to get farmers’ fruit to the market efficiently, fairly and with pride.
“It’s a new chapter, and one that honours our past while investing in the future of BC agriculture,” he added.
Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu (left); Dion Hertlein, Operations Manager, BC Tree Fruits (centre); and Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (right). Popham noted she and Sandhu were on hand to show their support for the reopening which did not involve any government funding.
Don Urquhart photo
On hand for the event was Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who similarly commented on the deep rooted history of the company. “This, to me, is a celebration of tradition, rebirth and the future of the iconic BC, Treefruits, leaf; It is a really big moment for the Okanagan,” she said.
Noting that the reopening of the business, fundamentally means the return of services to growers and the return of workers to the packing house. But it also means the return of the logo that is world recognized as a mark of quality fruit and “when we look into our international trade markets it’s also a vital link for our province’s food security and, of course, our economy,” she said.
Popham lauded the leadership of Wildstone Capital and Algoma Orchards, Canada’s largest independent apple grower, who purchased the remaining assets of BC Treefruit with a commitment to ensure the packing house continued under the iconic brand.
Popham, who has held the agriculture portfolio twice for a total of over five years said she recognized many of the growers and was happy to see smiles on their faces. Congratulating them on a very good season she noted it’s been challenging and BC food growers “needed this year to try and get back on your feet, to get things sorted out in the orchards. Thank you for that . . . you make British Columbians proud,” she added.
She added that for this industry to be successful, it needs to have a “sustainable, competitive tree food industry”, something that the reopening of the Oliver facility will help facilitate.
The facility employs extensive technology giving it an edge in a competitive industry.
Don Urquhart photo
Don Urquhart photo
Also speaking at the event was Peter Simonson, president of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association who thanked Popham and Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu, who was also in attendance, for the progress that was made this year.
“The good news is, we’re going to stop kicking you in the shins, and we start going to go east, because I think that a lot of things now need to be figured out nationally, Simonson said, citing issues including crop insurance, agri-stability programs, and anti-dumping.
“A lot of things that are really hurting us, the solution is in Ottawa. The solution has to be partnered with the province, but we really need to be going back there. And that’s where we’re putting our focus so you can take your shin guards off,” he laughed.
Simonson also urged growers not already a member to join the 136 year-old association. “We’ve been advocating for growers for a long time, we’ve had some successes, and other times not. But we have not given up on this industry and we have 300 farm families who are members, so I urge you all, if you’re not members now, to join because we’re stronger together,” he said.
Operations manager Dion Hertlein highlighted the vast array of the new technology, much of which had been installed and partially commissioned just before the former BC Tree Fruits Cooperative collapsed due to insolvency in July 2024.
Hertlein told the Times Chronicle that the new ownership group put nearly $500,000 into the facility to get it back up to scratch. “A lot of money was spent in fixing the facility up, we’re fortunate enough to be here to run this facility at the end of the day and for us, none of this would be possible if the growers weren’t here, bringing their fruit to us.”
A robotic arm automatically packs pallets.
Don Urquhart photo
He added that so far 23,000 bins of apples have been processed this season over the last two weeks with the facility having the growth capacity to handle up to 100,000 bins and handling the other crops growers produce. “We’re looking forward to this coming season, or to also receiving cherries, as well as the other commodities, like pears, peaches, plums, whatever there is in the valley from the facility.”
Hertlein said the new management is putting a keen focus on efficiency, which the technology enables. He added that a key focus has been placed on the storage of the fruit, through the company’s facilities in Summerland and Keremeos. Taking over these two facilities was essential to getting court approval for the acquisition.
“We’ve also been talking about future plans in case the volume expands to make sure that we can support the growers,” he said.
“Our commitment to the growers is transparency, fair practices and also communication to keep open communication to the growers.”
This is a message the new owners are clearly keen to promote given the sometimes checkered past of the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative which experienced financial challenges, and significant disagreements between the board and its grower members at various points in its history well before becoming insolvent.
Apples can be placed in any orientation in the cartons. Don Urquhart photo
“So this facility I see as open to any grower that would like to come and see their fruit,” Hertlein said. “We have the staff available that you can connect with to make sure that you can come and see your own fruit, whether it’s in storage or whether it’s being run on the line. If there’s any questions, or if there’s any new growers in the group here, or that hasn’t brought any fruit in, feel free to connect with me or our field service guys,” he urged.
The Times Chronicle asked Melissen to what extend previous management issues posed challenges in signing up growers to the facility, he replied: “There might have been that stigma, but I think now we had a really good first, first year in terms of volume already, and we’re expecting that will continue to go up but we recognize we’ve got to earn people’s trust.
“If they’ve done business with BC Tree Fruits in the past, although we have the same brand, we’re a different set of people operating it, and we have to earn that trust, and we’re willing to do that and you know, pay good rates for the for the fruits, have a good payment program and do what we say we’re going to do, and run this place with integrity.”
“Here’s to a bright future, to a successful season ahead, and to keeping BC Tree Fruits at the heart of our community for many years to come,” Morrison said.
Apples begin their journey through the packing process with a wash.
Don Urquhart photo
