The Fruit Company

While many of the area orchards are dormant under a thick layer of fresh snow, our facility is bustling with the final holiday rush. The season thus far has shown unprecedented business at The Fruit Company and we are thrilled to see our family company turn into such a success. Grandpa Roy would certainly be proud.

Just today the Associated Press picked up a great story about us that shows how sometimes even in the midst of the stressful holiday rush, some things just happen for a reason. The AP article reads as follows:

SHIPPING ERROR FROM HOOD RIVER TURNS INTO HOLIDAY DELIGHT
12/21/2007, 2:58 p.m. PST
The Associated Press
HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) — A vanished batch of packages from a Hood River fruit company turned into a holiday delight for some cancer patients in Maine.
The Fruit Company, which sells gourmet fruit, typically sends out more than 6,000 gifts a day with little problem. But sometimes mistakes happen.
At the height of the busy season this week, 80 packages disappeared and couldn’t be found. Eventually the recipient called. A technical glitch had sent all 80 boxes to the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine.
The center got to play Santa for the patients — many of whom were struggling through snowstorms to get to their chemotherapy treatment.
The company says they are thrilled the glitch ended in such an amazing way. The Fruit Company created new packages for the 80 intended recipients and sent them overnight to arrive Friday.

Our Customer Service Manager Rhonda was practically in tears over this incredible situation and how, well, miraculous, it ended. We hope that everyone at the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine enjoys their surprise gifts.

We would also like to take this chance to extend a huge thank you to all the customers we’ve had over this past year. Your enthusiasm for sending the finest gourmet fruit baskets and food gifts has made our vision a reality and we are ever so thankful. You refuse to settle and neither do we.

Cherish your time with friends and family this season. From us, our families, and everyone at The Fruit Company, we wish you a happy, healthy and fruitful 2008.

Sincerely,
Scott and Addison Webster

After working here with all of our wonderful gifts, we naturally start to pick favorites. Here are a few that strike our fancies for the holidays…

Oregon’s Cascade, 349.95
“This giant basket is truly the ultimate “Wow!” factor, filled with the finest fruit and gourmet edibles we offer. High quality, great taste and enough for all. I have recommended this gift to our customers looking for a gift of luxury that can appeal to everyone. We’ve sent these to Fortune 500 offices, to the casts of award-winning Broadway plays, and even just large families on special occasions. The Oregon’s Cascade impresses every time.”
– Scott, CEO & President of The Fruit Company

Nature’s Decadence, 79.95
Every time I flip through the catalog I always stop and admire Nature’s Decadence. Okay, maybe I’m a wee biased because I took the photo, but I love this basket– it’s both sturdy and gorgeous. When we were working on our new baskets I was always drawn to those in the Columbia Collection. Thick, stitched willow with a woven brim and wooden handles stained a rich mahogany… the potential for use after the fruit is gone is endless. Plus my 3 favorite chocolates (Chocolate Toffee Almonds, Chocolate Covered Cherries, and Chocolate Covered Blueberries) are in the gift. The right balance of fruit and chocolate. Everyone I’ve sent it to has agreed it’s the best they ever received!”
– Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

Cheddar, Pears and Apples, 49.95
“My great grandfather, a passionate cheese maker for over a decade, instilled his good cheese sense into every family gathering. I was destined to be a cheese lover! My family and friends expect only the best cheese and that is exactly what they receive in the Cheddar, Pears, and Apples gift. Our premium fruit is the perfect complement to our hand-crafted cheddar cheese. Our artisanal cheese supplier, Rogue Creamery, has award-winning cheeses for a reason. Happy cows grazing in lush Southern Oregon pastures, family recipes, and cave-aged cheeses create the perfect flavor fusions for our amazing fruit. We take pride in supporting local farmers that understand the value of quality and sustainability. Your friends, family, and business associates will agree!”
– Tracy, VP Merchandising

Sweet & Savory, 99.95
I would have to go with the Sweet and Savory– it has my favorite items in the mix.
- Comice Pears, which are a never miss when gift giving. Every person I send these pears to has usually never tasted a Comice Pear and is blown away by their taste and juiciness.
- Chocolate Toffee Almonds: these things are addictive. I am a HUGE toffee fan and cannot get enough of these toffee almonds dusted with powdered sugar.
- Chocolate Covered Cherries: Mouth watering and always received compliments.
- Also I love the Garlic Cheese on the Honey Wheat Crackers, MMMM!
As a guy I tend to like the Gift Towers more for the presentation of the items.
- Ryan, eCommerce Manager

Honeycrisp Apples, 39.95
“As Customer Service Manager at The Fruit Company, I have the opportunity to speak with our customers every day. Without fail, I have customers who call looking for the perfect gift to really “wow” their recipients. I always say if you want to exceed the expectations of a fruit connoisseur, Honeycrisp Apples will do the trick every time. We offered samples of this crisp, sweet apple to customers visiting our Farmers’ Market this fall and they instantly became everyone’s new favorite apple. When Stephanie’s orchardist dad presented her with the first Honeycrisp of the season, I could only pray she would take pity upon me and offer a small morsel of the apples crisp, sweet (but surprisingly tart) flesh to appease my lustful taste buds.”
– Rhonda, Customer Service Manager

Simply Fruit, 49.95
“As the Fruit Buyer I naturally like our all-fruit gifts. Premium Fruit Boxes, HarvestClubs, and the Orchard Collection of baskets. This one (Simply Fruit) is great for sharing with friends and family because it has just the right amount of fruit. Since I buy the fruit I know it all is perfect. Plus my wife loves the basket.”
- Nasario, Fruit Buyer

Webster Comice Pears, from 24.95
“My favorite are our Webster Comice Pears. Maybe the reason I love to give them so much is because of the opportunity I have to be directly involved in growing them. One of my absolute favorite things to do is to give these pears in person so I can make sure the pears are ripe and chilled. I especially enjoy preparing them for guests this time of year when they are at their peak. First I ripen the fruit and then I put it in the fridge to chill. When the guests arrive, I use a pear slicer to cut the fruit into segments and then remove the peel from each with a paring knife. It’s so fun presenting these perfectly ripe, peeled pear segments to someone who has never tasted a ripe Comice pear before. Most people can not believe how sweet and juicy they are! I just love to see the expressions of surprise and delight when someone discovers these rare treats, and it’s especially fun to tell them that I grew them.”
- Addison, CFO of The Fruit Company and President of Webster Orchards

For other great gifts try just smoked salmon gift boxes.