Chelan Fresh taking steps to expedite truck loading

Truck rates may be down, but that doesn’t lessen the need to treat truck drivers well and help them get in and out of packing facilities, says Mac Riggan, director of marketing for Chelan Fresh, Chelan, Wash.

Shippers can’t control government regulations on truckers or market rates, Riggan said. “But what we can control is how we treat truck drivers,” he said. Riggan said Chelan Fresh has gone “above and beyond” in how the company treats truck drivers. That includes communicating with them, treating them well when they arrive at Chelan Fresh facilities and getting them loaded quickly.

“We have really put together some incredible technologies that get them loaded quickly,” he said. That means fruit is ready to be loaded when the truck driver arrives.

“We can’t control a driver’s hours, so we have extended loading hours to accommodate their schedules,” Riggan said. “Our shipping docks make every effort so when trucks show up, they get loaded. We are proud of that.”

Branding

After parting ways with Chelan Fruit and the Trout label, Chelan Fresh introduced its Joyfully Grown brand in July 2022, with the brand used on bags, boxes and other displays.

“It has been incredibly well received by both consumers and retailers,” Riggan said. “They love it.”

The message of the brand reflects the joy of growing fruit and delighting consumers, he said.

“When I thought about all the years I've worked for my uncle and my grandfather and my dad, there was a joy to it,” Riggan said. That passion is shared with brothers and cousins in the company.

“We all show up to work every day and we love it,” he said.

The legacy of the family business is endurance.

“You have a hard day and think, 'Well, all I got to do is do what my grandfather did, and he just simply didn't quit. That's what he did. He didn't quit. As long as I don't quit, the answer will probably come,” he said.

Organic apples account for about 12% to 14% of Chelan Fresh volume, Riggan said.

Variety news

Riggan said Washington apple growers as a whole are doing a good job raising Cosmic Crisp variety apples.

“I think that the apple is just going to continue to delight more and more consumers as volume increases,” he said. 

SugarBee and Rockit varieties, marketed by Chelan Fresh, are popular at retail, Riggan said. The varieties ranked first and second in the highest average price at retail in 2021. 

Chelan Fresh also markets a limited volume of red-fleshed apples, including the red-skinned Lucy Rose and the yellow-skinned Lucy Glo, Riggan said. This year, the volume was sold out by Thanksgiving.

With customers wanting more supply to sell, Riggan said Chelan Fresh is seeking to plant more. The varieties are site-specific in terms of ideal growing conditions.

“We are constantly trying to look for sites that are cooler and sloped, and you don’t find those everywhere,” he said. “The challenge of Lucy is to find the right site for growing, because they are a customer favorite.”