Company History

1940 - In the early 1940's, Inland Fruit & Produce Co. originated in Yakima, WA as a small wholesaler of fresh fruit and vegetables. Operations originated out of a slotted wood shack on the south side of Yakima. Inland provided freshly harvested quality fruits & vegetables to local retail merchants all over the Yakima Valley. Before long, the Inland name would become well known all over the region and eventually throughout the entire nation.

1946 - In 1946, Inland Fruit & Produce Co. expanded its customer base and market share by forming partnerships in several Seattle based fruit stands. Demand increased dramatically due to the freshly harvested high quality fruit and vegetables that were being transported over the Cascade Mountains to Seattle from nearby Yakima.

1954 - The home office and operations were moved to a new site in Wapato, WA 8 miles south of Yakima. This new site provided the space needed to implement a packing and loading operation that was easily accessible off of Highway 97 in Wapato.

1956 - Inland Fruit & Produce Company founder Norman Byrd knew that more high quality bulk tonnage would be required to keep up with the demand of a quickly growing customer base. In 1956, a plan was developed, land was purchased and the company's first apple trees were planted.

1960 - After spending 4 years developing a high quality apple program, Inland purchased another large block of land that would be dedicated towards pears and nectarines. The Yakima valley's first nectarines were planted in a joint venture that formed between Inland Fruit & Produce Co. & R.E. Redman & Sons.

1970 - By 1970, Inland discontinued vegetable operations to focus on meeting an increasing demand for Washington grown apples, pears, and soft fruit.

1976 - In 1976, Inland Fruit introduces a state of the art packing facility that houses the industry's first 16 lane electronic sizer.

1998 - June 1st, 1998 Inland Fruit experienced a "changing of the guard". Jeannine Buntain, Everett Doty, Ray Nordberg, and Walt Schlagel relinquished their ownership and passed the torch to Susan Putman. Susan is the granddaughter of Norman Byrd, one of the original founders of Inland Fruit.

1999 - Inland Fruit Company & George F. Joseph merge together to form one company, Inland Fruit Company, a company with a proven past based on tradition, service, and excellence.