Tree Top facts for kids
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| Agricultural cooperative | |
| Industry | Fruit processing |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | Bill Charbonneau |
| Headquarters |
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US
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Number of locations
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Wenatchee and Prosser, Washington, Woodburn and Medford, Oregon and Oxnard, California |
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Area served
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United States |
| Products | Apple juice, apple sauce, purees, fruit pouches, nectars, WONFs (with other natural flavors), dried apples |
| Revenue | $345 million |
| Members | 1,000 |
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Number of employees
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1,008 |
| Subsidiaries | Northwest Naturals |
Tree Top, Inc. is a company that makes many different fruit products. It was the first company of its kind in the United States to be owned by the farmers who grow the fruit. About 1,100 apple and pear farmers from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon own Tree Top. Most of these farmers are from Washington.
The Story of Tree Top
How Tree Top Started
Tree Top was started by a man named Bill Charbonneau. He moved to Selah, Washington, with his family. There, he bought a factory that processed apples.
In the 1950s, Bill Charbonneau created his own brand of apple juice. He wanted a good name for his new juice. So, he held a contest for his employees to choose a name. They picked "Tree Top" because people thought the best fruit grew at the very top of the trees.
Growers Take Over
In 1960, a small group of fruit farmers bought Tree Top from Bill Charbonneau. With this purchase, the farmers also got the special way of making clear apple juice that Bill had developed. They also got the factories where the juice was made.
By 2008, nearly 1,000 farmers from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho owned the company. Tree Top and its partner company, Sabroso Company, made many fruit products. These included Tree Top apple juice, applesauce, and fresh sliced apples.
Growing Bigger and Better
In 2010, Sabroso Company became a full part of Tree Top. This made Tree Top a leader in offering a huge variety of fruit products from one place.
Tree Top has eight fruit processing factories. These factories are located in the western United States, close to where the fruit is grown. This means they can use fresh fruits and berries. They use strawberries, apricots, and grapes. They turn these into fruit purees, fruit preparations, and nectars. Of course, they still make their famous apple and pear products too.
Tree Top's fruit products are sold across the western United States. Other companies also help distribute their products in many other countries around the world.
