Stemilt Growers facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Fruit |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Tom Mathison |
| Headquarters | Wenatchee, Washington, U.S. |
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Key people
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West Mathison, President |
| Products | Cherries, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines |
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Number of employees
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1,500 |
Stemilt Growers is a big family-owned company that grows, packs, and ships fresh fruit. It's located in Wenatchee, Washington, in the United States. Stemilt is famous for being the world's largest shipper of fresh sweet cherries. They also grow and ship huge amounts of apples, pears, and other fruits like peaches and nectarines.
Some of their special apple types include Piñata, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Pink Lady. Stemilt is also a leader in growing organic fruit. They produce a large part of Washington's organic apples and the Pacific Northwest's organic pears. In 2008, the company shipped over 20 million boxes of fruit and had 1,500 full-time employees.
Contents
The Story of Stemilt Growers
The history of Stemilt Growers goes way back to 1893. That's when the Mathison family first settled on a piece of land called Stemilt Hill. This area is near Wenatchee, Washington. In 1914, the family planted their very first fruit trees. These trees grew apples, pears, and cherries.
A New Generation Takes Over
By 1947, a third-generation farmer named Tom Mathison took charge of the family's fruit farm. He was ready to make the business even bigger.
- In 1961, Tom built a special building called a packing house on Stemilt Hill. This is where fruit is prepared for shipping.
- In 1964, Tom Mathison officially started Stemilt Growers. At first, they packed fruit for other farmers too.
- In 1975, Tom built a new, bigger packing and storage building in Wenatchee. This new place became the main office for the company.
Passing It Down
In July 2005, Tom Mathison passed the company leadership to his grandson, West Mathison. This kept the company in the family. Tom Mathison passed away in 2008.
What Does "Stemilt" Mean?
The name Stemilt comes from a Native American word. It means "coming from the mountains" or "foothills to the mountains." Stemilt is also the name of the farming area near the Cascade Mountains and the city of Wenatchee, Washington.
