Apr 7, 2007

New Crunch Pak Plant Adds Apple-Slicing Options

Crunch Pak’s new 7,000 square-foot slicing facility in Cashmere, Wash., is giving the company more options for its prepackaged sliced apples.

Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak director, said the “completely-updated” facility has allowed the company to add diced apples and other items to its product mix. The new facility, part of Crunch Pak’s new 60,000 square-foot complex, began production in August. The company’s administrative offices will move to the site after Jan. 1.

“With the new plant, we package diced apples for Arby’s, and other food services that use diced apples,” Freytag said. Arby’s uses the diced apples for its Martha’s Vineyard Salads and Chicken Salad Sandwich.

Crunch Pak also has added organic sliced apples to its offerings. The slices are sold under Earthbound Farm and Whole Foods labels.

Freytag said the new facility also allows for the automated packaging of sliced-apple trays.
“The new plant gives us more flexibility for tray or bags,” he said.

Crunch Pak offers sliced apples, primarily Galas, Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths, in 2-ounce, 7-ounce, 1-pound and 3-pound bags. The sliced apples are treated with vitamin C and calcium to prolong their shelf lives.

Conveyer belts aren’t used at the new facility, Freytag said. Instead, the apples are floated through the plant in water.

“There’s less bruising with water floats,” he said.

Freytag said the company updated its food safety and Hazards Analysis Critical Control Point programs along with the new facility.

The new plant replaces the company’s 4,000 square-foot Wenatchee plant. That was the company’s second plant. Crunch Pak, which was established in 1999, began at a 500 square-foot facility in Wenatchee.

The new plant has about 65 employees. It has the capacity to slice as much as 20,000 pounds to 30,000 pounds of apples per day.

About 80 percent of the apples used at the plant come from Washington state. The others are imported from counties such as Chile and New Zealand.

Crunch Pak is owned by a small group of Washington state apple growers and Dovex Fruit Co.