Mount Adams Fruit of Bingen, Washington, has agreed to purchase the majority of Stadelman Fruit Co.’s Oregon operations from its current owner, S.S. Steiner Co., according to a news release July 11.

In the deal, Mount Adams will acquire pear orchards, packing and storage facilities, and a new receiving location in Oregon’s Hood River Valley. The company, founded in 1909, expects to keep all Stadelman employees affected by the change, the release said. Stadelman is based in Zillah, Washington.

The new volume will start with this year’s harvest, beginning in August.

Terms were not disclosed, but Cascadia Capital is managing the transaction, the release said.

“The combination of our two companies expands Mount Adams Fruit operations to Hood River, Oregon, providing closer proximity to growers and operational efficiencies that will improve fruit quality,” said Mount Adams CEO Don Gibson, in the release. “The additional fruit will enhance the surety of supply for our customers throughout the season while fortifying our operations with more orchards, facilities and top talent from Stadelman’s operations.”

Mount Adams is part of the Washington Fruit Growers marketing partnership of Yakima, Washington, which will now sell Stadelman’s Hood River pears, said Doug Gibson, vice president of Mount Adams, in a brief phone interview with Good Fruit Grower. In January, Stadelman agreed to sell fruit under FirstFruits Marketing of Yakima, Washington.

Also, Stadelman has some Medford,Oregon, pear production operations that are unaffected by the sale, Doug Gibson said.

—by Ross Courtney