Auvil Fruit

What Auvil Fruit does

Auvil Fruit Company is a third-generation, family-owned fruit grower and vertically integrated packer headquartered in Orondo, Washington, founded in 1928 by Grady Auvil and his brothers Robert and David, who initially purchased 22 acres. The company currently farms approximately 2,400 acres in Washington's Columbia River corridor — spanning orchards in Orondo, Vantage (Kittitas County, expanded from 1980), and Quincy (added 2015) — producing premium apples (Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and proprietary Hunnyz) and cherries (Rainier and Dark Sweet) under the Gee Whiz brand, with stated yields roughly double those of comparable growers.

The business is vertically integrated from orchard through packing. Orchard operations use a vineyard-style trellis tree-training system, drip irrigation with continuous moisture/nutrient monitoring, hand blossom- and leaf-thinning (in lieu of chemicals), shade cloth and Extenday reflective ground material for fruit coloring, and hand-picking up to five times per tree. The 2017-installed apple packing line includes a photo spectroscopy camera system that captures 500 pictures per apple, electrolyzed water sanitization, computer-aided pressure testing, sugar-to-acid taste analysis, and a six-point inspection workflow. A 2013 Controlled Atmosphere storage facility supports extended shipping windows. The company has held SQF (Safe Quality Food) 100/100 and Nutriclean certifications since 1996 and reports Excellent scores on independent third-party food safety audits. Research partnerships are long-standing with the Washington State Tree Fruit Research Commission (co-founded by Grady Auvil in 1968) and Washington State University.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of fresh apples and cherries via three primary channels: (1) direct sales to major U.S. retail grocery chains including Albertsons, Safeway, Whole Foods Market, Giant Eagle, The Fresh Market, Sprouts, and Stop & Shop; (2) wholesale produce distributors such as WJL Distributors, CDS Distributing, D'Arrigo Bros., Hubert Nall Company, and United Salad; and (3) dedicated export sales to China and Japan, with Chinese consumer reach via the Tmall e-commerce platform. Pricing is negotiated through sales contracts; published customer relationships span 20-60+ years. Marketing runs primarily through retailer relationships, recipe content, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), sweepstakes, and published partner testimonials.

Name

Auvil Fruit

Legal name

Auvil Fruit Co, Inc.

Website

https://auvilfruit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Auvil Fruit Company is a third-generation, family-owned premium apple and cherry grower-packer farming 2,400 acres in Washington State under the Gee Whiz brand, supplying major U.S. retail chains, wholesale produce distributors, and dedicated exporters to China and Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Fresh Fruit Production

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331)

akta.pro primary industry

Cider & Orchard Fruit Production (Apples/pears for cider & processing) (AFAGACAJ)

Keywords

• Premium apple production
• Fresh cherry growing
• Fruit packing operations
• Orchard management services
• Wholesale produce distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Orondo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Fresh Apple Sales: Primary revenue stream from growing and selling premium apples including Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Hunnyz varieties. The company ships multiple grades of apples with consistent flavor quality across all grades.
2. Fresh Cherry Sales: Growing and selling premium Rainier cherries and Dark Sweet cherries (Bing and Lapin varieties) during seasonal harvest windows (June-July).
3. Domestic Retail Distribution: Supplying Gee Whiz branded fruit to major retail grocery chains and regional supermarkets across the continental United States.
4. International Export: Export sales of apples and cherries to international markets including China and Japan, with dedicated export sales management.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Auvil Fruit Company is a vertically integrated premium fruit grower and packer that produces apples (Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Hunnyz) and cherries (Rainier, Dark Sweet) across 2,400 acres in Washington State under the Gee Whiz brand. The company applies proprietary horticultural practices — including trellis tree-training, drip irrigation, shade cloth, and a six-point inspection process with taste technology analyzing sugar-acid ratios — to deliver consistent premium flavor. Products are sold through major national retail chains, wholesale produce distributors, and export markets in Asia.

Product overview

Auvil Fruit Company is a premium fruit grower and producer specializing in Washington apples and cherries under the Gee Whiz brand. The product portfolio includes multiple apple varieties (Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady/Cripps, Honeycrisp, and Hunnyz™) and cherry varieties (Rainier and Dark Sweet/Bing/Lapin). The company operates from orchards in Orondo and Vantage, Washington along the Columbia River, with packing facilities that apply advanced sorting and inspection technology to ensure consistent flavor quality across all products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hunnyz: A bi-color apple, a cross between CrimsonCrisp and Honeycrisp. Features a uniquely balanced flavor profile with crunch and incredible flavor. The newest addition to the Gee Whiz/Auvil Fruit family of apples.

Products and services

• Gee Whiz Fuji Apples Late fall apple harvested late to mid November, known for high sugar levels making it one of the sweetest best-eating apples. Good for salads, pies, baking, and freezing.
• Gee Whiz Granny Smith Apples Most popular green apple harvested mid September to late October, characterized by tart flavor and firm texture. Especially good for baking, salads, and fresh eating.
• Gee Whiz Gala Apples Early fall apple harvested mid August to early September, red striped with pale yellow background. Sweet dessert apple, excellent for eating fresh or using in various dishes.
• Gee Whiz Pink Lady Apples Harvested in early November with distinctive reddish-pink blush and yellow background. Crisp and juicy with sweet-tart flavor, great for eating fresh or cooking.
• Gee Whiz Honeycrisp Apples Early fall variety harvested in early September with red blush on cream to yellow background. Sweet-tart taste with distinctly crisp texture. Perfect for eating fresh and good for cooking.
• Hunnyz Apples Bi-color apple variety, a cross between CrimsonCrisp and Honeycrisp. Features uniquely balanced flavor profile with crunch and incredible flavor. The newest addition to the Gee Whiz/Auvil Fruit family of apples.
• Gee Whiz Rainier Cherries Harvested from late June through early July, grow very large with firm, juicy white flesh and bright red blush color over golden yellow background. Very high sugar levels making them the perfect summer treat.
• Gee Whiz Dark Sweet Cherries Deep mahogany red color with firm, juicy red flesh. Sweet, rich flavor and can grow quite large. Includes Bing and Lapin varieties, harvested from early to late June.
• Gee Whiz Auvil Early Fuji Apples Proprietary early-harvest Fuji apple variety with first commercial production in 1999; marketed under the Gee Whiz brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Double yield per acre compared to industry average using innovative farming practices
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington State Tree Fruit Research CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded in 1968 by Grady Auvil with the goal of setting standards for education and growth of Washington tree fruit industry through extensive research and applied science. The commission was formally implemented by Washington State Legislature in 1969 and continues today as a key industry research body.
• Washington State University Fruit Research DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research relationship supporting continuous improvement in storage, packing, and shipping processes. The partnership provides access to academic research and scientific expertise in fruit production and post-harvest handling.
• Healthcare Management AdministratorsminorOthersThird-party health benefits administrator providing Machine-Readable Files for health plan transparency compliance under the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sage Fruit Company: Yakima, WA-based sales and marketing company representing tree-fruit growers for apples, pears, and cherries. Competes in the same Washington premium apple supply chain.
• CMI Orchards: Wenatchee, WA-based apple grower-marketer representing multiple family orchards. Direct competitor offering branded apple programs (e.g., Kiku, Envy, Ambrosia) to similar retail channels.
• Chelan Fresh: Chelan, WA-based grower-packer of apples, pears, and cherries supplying domestic and export markets. Comparable vertically integrated operation with similar premium retail customer base.
• Rainier Fruit Company: Selah, WA-based grower, packer, and shipper of apples, cherries, and pears. Operates at a similar vertically integrated scale with comparable premium retail relationships and branded fruit programs.
• FirstFruits Farms: Yakima, WA-based vertically integrated apple grower-packer (Opal, Honeycrisp, SugarBee varieties). Comparable premium apple grower serving retail and foodservice channels.
• Domex Superfresh Growers: Yakima, WA-based grower and shipper of apples, pears, and cherries operating its own orchards and packing facilities. Competes directly in the premium apple category with branded programs.
• Stemilt Growers: Wenatchee, WA-based vertically integrated grower-packer of apples, pears, and cherries. Direct competitor in the same Washington tree-fruit category with overlapping retail customers and proprietary varieties (e.g., Rave, Piñata).

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's: Global premium fresh berry producer with category-leading brand recognition. Comparable in its premium-brand positioning, retail distribution depth, and proprietary variety development approach, though in a different fruit category.

Emerging players

• Crunch Pak: Cashmere, WA-based sliced-apple processor using Washington-grown apples. Adjacent value-added competitor targeting the same retail produce deli/prepackaged category with overlapping customer base.

Regional players

• HMC Farms: California-based premium stone fruit and table grape grower (peaches, nectarines, plums). Comparable premium tree-fruit grower serving similar retail channels, though operating in a different primary geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/auvilfruit
• Facebookfacebook.com/Auvil-Fruit-Company-173790059364847
• Instagraminstagram.com/geewhizfruit
• Pinterestpinterest.com/afruit2980
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auvil-fruit-company

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Auvil Fruit