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Jealous Fruits

I. Company

Jealous Fruits is a family owned and operated cherry farm located in Canada’s pristine Okanagan Valley. Bordered by mountains, and host to some magnificent lakes, the Okanagan Valley is extremely fertile and has a perfect moderate climate growing large, flavorful, sweet cherries.Jealous Fruits, which has cultivated cherries since 1903, diligently nurture their orchards to further enhance their geographical advantage.Their cherry orchards are managed to achieve optimum yields of highly sugared, firm fleshed cherries, with a strong shelf life.Their farm produces the finest late harvest cherries in the Northern Hemisphere. They are, in effect, the season’s “grand finale” for cherry lovers worldwide. Jealous Fruits is the leader in the British Columbian export cherry industry, and their namesake brand is the foremost Canadian cherry brand worldwide.

 

 

II. Founders and Owner

David Geen, owner and President of Jealous Fruits, is a fourth-generation farmer in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Today, David Geen is the largest cherry producer in Canada.

The Geen family has been farming since 1903. Their farm has grown healthy, opulent, delicious cherries for over 115 years. From the very beginning, their cherry orchards earned a stellar reputation for quality. In season, customers would come from all over the Okanagan Valley to purchase their freshly picked cherries. Their little fruit stand did well.

When international trade and travel improved over the century, word about their quality cherries reached a greater audience. Suddenly, in the 80’s and 90’s, buyers for national and international grocers sought cherries from them. New York, San Francisco, Taipei, London … Paris, their family farm became an international business from thereon.

Today, they have dramatically expanded their cherry acreage. Their orchard lands expand over 590 acres, and host 280,000 cherry trees. Their current production volume is at 2,800 tons, and this number will double by 2018 as new plantings start bearing fruit.

Arthur and Percy Geen (1907)

Ethel Street Orchard (1937)

Percy Geen Family (1957)

David Geen Family (2015)

III. Mission and Vision

MISSION: TO PRODUCE CHERRIES OF FINEST QUALITY

The mission of Jealous Fruits is to produce the freshest, sweet cherries of finest quality in the world and to extend the availability of these cherries from July 1 to early October.Jealous Fruits plants cherries on a range of soil types, location aspects and elevations from 1100 to 2600 feet. Together with a genetic diversity of variety mix, this means they can harvest cherries over a ten-week period.

Jealous Fruits cherries are the latest ripening cherries in the Northern Hemisphere. Their company is able to achieve this because their orchards are located at 50 degrees north latitude in the Okanagan Valley. They are, in effect, the most northerly large-scale cherry producer in North America. The supreme quality of their late ripening fruit at the very end of the season makes Jealous Fruits cherries even more special.

Jealous Fruits continually evaluates sites which will further extend their season. Their firm presently has test plantings and weather stations sited on a 100-acre block at 2600 feet. Harvest on this site will run to mid-September.

 

VERTICALLY INTEGRATED FIRM OF GROWER DIRECT MODEL

Jealous Fruits is vertically integrated and manages all aspects of production from the field right through to the box and is proud of its grower direct model.

They are staunchly focused on quality at all levels of their vertically integrated firm. They scout the finest land for their orchards, plant only the most desirable varieties of cherries, and tend to the land in a very thoughtful, meticulous manner. They cultivate their own orchards from blossom to harvest. They only pack their own fruit, and they control their branding and shipping infrastructure. They jealously guard the freshness of their produce, and have established tried-and-true protocols to get their fresh-picked cherries to their partner retailers as quickly as possible, and in the highest quality standards imaginable.

PROUD TO HAVE NO GMO PRODUCE IN THEIR FARMLANDS

Jealous Fruits is fortunate to have access to a stream of new varieties coming from the Canadian government breeding program in Summerland, British Columbia. Their firm has teamed up with the Summerland Research Station since the 1940’s to continuously improve their fruit quality. The Research Station produces new and exciting varieties the old-fashioned way, by cross breeding. Varieties feature large size, excellent firmness, high sugars, resistant to rain cracking and strong cropping capacity. They judiciously prune their trees such that they are not over cropped which means that each and every cherry can mature to its full potential.

They are proud to state that they have absolutely no genetically modified (GMO) produce in their farmlands.

ADHERED TO GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS ON PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS

Canada has amongst the most stringent requirements in the world regarding the use of insect and disease control products. Jealous Fruits, like other Canadian cherry producers, undergo yearly Global Gap audits and daily visits in season from Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials to ensure these requirements are being adhered to. As newer, softer pest control products become available, Jealous Fruits is at the forefront of integrating these products into their production practices.

Proudly Canadian, Jealous Fruits is adored by consumers because Canadian farming practices are trustworthy, and they are recognized for integrity.

INVESTMENT IN MOST ADVANCED SORTING AND PACKING EQUIPMENT

Jealous Fruits invests in the most advanced sorting and packing equipment to ensure the highest quality pack arrives into the market. Their fruit handling and shipping facilities employ state-of-the-art technologies that ensure prime quality fruit from the very moment that the fruit is harvested.

At the very center of their operation is their 30,000 sq. ft. sorting and packing facility. Located on their homestead farm, their modern plant is designed to chill, optically sort and hand pack their cherry fruit as efficiently and effectively as possible, thereby expediting their ability to deliver super fresh, tree-ripened cherries to their worldwide customers in record time.

The premium labels under the Jealous Fruits umbrella are Jealous Fruits, Coral Beach Farms, Grizzly, Chosen Few, and with their most recent acquisition of Dendy Orchards they now represent Morning Glory label as well.

Home Farm (140 acres, lake level elevation at 1105 ft.)

Cholla Farm (110 acres, top elevation 2250 ft.)

 

Eldorado Farm (100 acres, top elevation 2650 ft.)

Thompson River Farm (220 acres, top elevation 1500 ft., their latest site)

IV. Produces

The Okanagan Valley is host to the world’s most advanced Cherry Fruit Research facilities. Together with the Pacific Agriculture Research Centre in Summerland, BC, Jealous Fruits continuously experiments and pioneers in the development of new cherry varieties.
Some of types of cherries that they grow include:
Satin:

their earliest maturing variety, matures between July 14 to 20.

Lapins:

named after Dr. Karl Lapins who pioneered the breeding work resulting in all the selections produced at Jealous Fruits; matures between July 23 to August 5.

Sweetheart:

Considered by many customers to be their flagship variety; matures between August 3 to 12.

Staccato:

a patented variety that is mostly produced in British Columbia and stores very well; matures between August 12 to September 1.

Sovereign:

Named and released from the Summerland breeding program in 2006; matures as late as September 15.

Sentennial:

a very recent introduction, currently produced only in small volumes at Jealous Fruits; matures slightly after Staccato.

Suite Note:

origins from the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland; matures between mid-July.

Kordia:

also known as Attika, its origin is a chance seedling of unknown parentage found in the Czech Republic; matures between July 15 to 25.

Skeena:

origins from the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland; matures between mid to late July.

Rainier:

developed by H.W. Fogel at Washington State University and named after Mount Rainier – the highest peak in Washington; matures between the end of July – early August.

Regina:

origins from Esteburg-Fruit Research Station in Jork, Germany and stores exceptionally well, matures early August.

Burgundy Pearl:

one of their earliest ripening cherries; matures mid-season.

Cristalina:

ripens early season.

Van:

a classic cherry they grow in limited volumes. Van is one of the parents or grandparents of most varieties produced at Jealous Fruits.