British Columbia’s largest fruit company has purchased land on which to build a new packing line and company headquarters.

BC Tree Fruits, a 400-member grower cooperative, is finalizing the purchase of 85 acres in Kelowna for new apple, cherry, pear and soft fruit packing lines, office space and its cidery, the company announced in a news release this week. The company also will sell property in Penticton. Both transactions are scheduled to be completed by May 31.

The new location is about 8 miles northwest of the current facility near the city center.

The move aims to consolidate several of the cooperative’s operations under one roof, the release said.

The company is in the middle of reorganization. In April, the company hired a new chief executive officer and chief financial officer, after eliminating several positions in January.

BC Tree Fruits represents between 70 percent and 80 percent of the province’s apples and about one-third of its cherries.

— by Ross Courtney

Related: BC Tree Fruits hires CEO, CFO