BJ REECE ORCHARDS, L.L.C

What BJ REECE ORCHARDS, L.L.C does

BJ Reece Orchards is a family-owned and operated agri-tourism business headquartered at 9131 Highway 52 East in Ellijay, Georgia (Gilmer County), approximately one hour north of Atlanta. Founded in the 1960s by John Reece and his wife Rachel, the company operates more than 200 acres of apple orchards and 30 acres of peaches, cultivating over 20 apple varieties (including Ginger Gold, Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Fuji) alongside asian pears, nectarines, and seasonal vegetables. Production relies on an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system using bug trapping, targeted spraying, and mating disruption techniques rather than broad-spectrum chemicals.

The company runs a diversified direct-to-consumer business with five distinct revenue streams: (1) a year-round on-site Farm Market & Bakery selling fried pies, donuts, baked goods, preserves, and ciders (with Clover-powered online ordering for in-store pickup); (2) seasonal U-Pick apple operations in September–October across 200+ acres; (3) tiered Farm Activity admissions ($8–$26 per person) covering a petting zoo, pig races, pony rides, jumping pillow, mega slide, and an apple cannon; (4) pre-booked Field Trip packages ($10–$15 per person) for schools, homeschool groups, churches, and scouts; and (5) wholesale apple sales (10-bushel minimum) to restaurants, schools, and direct-to-consumer shipping nationwide. An affiliated family business, Reece's Cider Co., was opened across the street in 2021 by founders' son Taner Reece and his wife Sarah, producing 16 varieties of hard cider from orchard apples.

The primary customer base is families and individuals seeking seasonal farm experiences, with secondary segments in education groups, local restaurants/food service, and professional photographers. Pricing is pay-as-you-go at the gate with no advance ticketing, supported by a website (reeceorchards.com), Facebook, Instagram, and partnerships with Georgia Grown and Explore Georgia tourism. The model is fundamentally constrained by seasonality (Sept–Oct peak) and a single physical location, though the year-round market and diversified product surface partially mitigate this.

Name

BJ REECE ORCHARDS, L.L.C

Legal name

BJ Reece Orchards, L.L.C.

Website

https://reeceorchards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BJ Reece Orchards is a family-owned Georgia apple orchard operating 200+ acres of U-Pick and a year-round farm market and bakery, serving families, school groups, restaurants, and photographers via direct-to-consumer agri-tourism and wholesale sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orchard and Agri-Tourism Services

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Pome Fruit Orchards (Apples, Pears, Quinces) (AFAGACAB)

Keywords

• Apple orchard operations
• U-pick apple farming
• Farm market bakery
• Agri-tourism activities
• Fresh produce retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellijay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Farm Market & Bakery Sales: Year-round retail sales of baked goods, produce, preserves, ciders, and specialty items from the on-site farm market and bakery. Includes online ordering for bakery items (pies, fritters) with in-store pickup.
2. U-Pick Apple Sales: Seasonal apple picking (September-October) where customers purchase admission packages combined with U-pick bags to harvest apples directly from the orchards.
3. Farm Activity Admissions: Revenue from ticketed farm activities including petting zoo, jumping pillow, pig races, pony rides, mega slide, apple cannon, and other attractions offered during the fall season.
4. Wholesale Apple Sales: Bulk apple sales to restaurants and schools with a 10-bushel minimum order requirement. Also offers direct shipping of apples to consumers.
5. Field Trip Bookings: Educational group visits for schools, homeschool groups, churches, and scout organizations with pre-booked packages including apple picking and farm activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BJ Reece Orchards is a family-owned apple orchard in Ellijay, Georgia operating a year-round farm market and bakery, seasonal pick-your-own (U-Pick) apple experience across 200+ acres, and a slate of family farm activities. The business also runs educational field trips for groups, professional photography sessions, and wholesale/shipping apple sales.

Product overview

BJ Reece Orchards is a family-owned orchard and farm market offering a diversified portfolio of agri-tourism and retail products. The core offerings center on three interconnected experiences: (1) Farm Market & Bakery - a year-round retail operation featuring the signature world-famous fried pies, fresh cider donuts, whole pies, and locally sourced produce including apples, peaches, and seasonal vegetables; (2) Apple Picking (U-Pick) - a seasonal pick-your-own apple experience across 200+ acres with 20+ varieties; and (3) Farm Fun Activities - tiered admission packages featuring family attractions including petting zoo, pig races, cow milking, jumping pillow, pony rides, and the apple cannon. Additional offerings include Field Trips for educational groups, professional Photography Sessions, and wholesale/shipping produce sales. A related business, Reece's Cider Co. (opened 2021), provides hard cider products and fresh cider supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Market & Bakery Year-round retail farm market and bakery offering world-famous fried pies, apple cider donuts, whole pies, cake rolls, fudge, locally sourced produce, honey, syrups, jams, preserves, sauces, and fruit ciders. Open to walk-in visitors and families.
• Apple Picking (U-Pick) Seasonal pick-your-own apple experience across 200+ acres of orchards with more than 20 apple varieties available during the September-October season. Customers purchase admission and a U-Pick bag to harvest apples directly from the trees.
• Farm Fun Activities Family-friendly farm attractions sold as tiered admission packages including petting zoo, corn box, rubber duck races, farm slide, pig races, cow milking, jumping pillow, cow train rides, pony rides, mega slide, apple cannon, wagon rides, and a corn maze scavenger hunt.
• Field Trips & Group Visits Educational group experiences for schools, homeschool groups, churches, and scout organizations with three pre-booked packages including apple picking, bee observation, farm tours, petting zoo, and wagon rides for groups of 15 or more during the September-October season.
• Photography Sessions Professional photography sessions in the orchards during fall season within business hours, with spring peach/apple blossom sessions available by invitation. Photographers and subjects pay general admission, with private sessions outside business hours arranged for additional fees.
• Fresh Produce and Apple Wholesale/Shipping Year-round seasonal produce including apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, watermelon, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, onions, beans, corn, okra, and cucumbers. Apples are shipped directly to consumers nationwide and sold wholesale to restaurants and schools with a 10-bushel minimum.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Reece's Cider Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Reece's Cider Co. is operated by Taner Reece (son of BJ Reece Orchards founders John and Rachel Reece) and his wife Sarah, located across the street from the apple house. The company produces 16 varieties of hard cider made from apples grown in BJ Reece Orchards. This year they will also start producing fresh cider for the BJ Reece market. The business represents a new generation continuing the family farming tradition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Reece's Cider Co. Hard cider producer located across the street from BJ Reece Orchards, operated by the second-generation Reece family using BJ Reece's apples. Ecosystem partner and affiliated brand sharing supply and family ownership.

Regional players

• Grandad's Apples & Cider Wines: U-pick apple orchard and farm market in Hendersonville, NC, offering apples, baked goods, cider, and value-added cider wines. Comparable U-Pick + bakery + value-added model in a nearby Southeast region.
• Penland's Apple House: Long-running North Georgia apple house in Ellijay selling apples, baked goods, and seasonal produce. Comparable in product assortment but smaller scale and lighter on ticketed farm activities.
• Sky Top Orchard: U-pick apple orchard in Flat Rock, NC, in the western North Carolina mountains. Comparable orchard, bakery, and family activities model in a neighboring Appalachian region.

Direct peers

• R&A Orchards: Family-operated U-pick apple orchard and farm market in Ellijay, GA, offering apples, baked goods, and seasonal produce in the same Gilmer County cluster as BJ Reece Orchards.
• Panorama Orchards: Family-owned apple orchard in East Ellijay, GA, selling apples, peaches, and baked goods. Directly comparable in geography (Gilmer County), crop mix, and on-site farm market retail.
• Mercier Orchards: Family-owned U-pick apple orchard and farm market in Blue Ridge, GA, also in the North Georgia mountains. Offers a comparable mix of apple varieties, on-site bakery, farm market, and agri-tourism activities, making it the closest direct competitor.
• Jaemor Farms: North Georgia farm market and agri-tourism destination in Alto, GA, with U-pick produce, on-site bakery, and farm activities. Comparable in product mix (apples, peaches, baked goods) and family-experience positioning.
• Hillcrest Orchards: U-pick apple orchard in Hampton, GA, offering seasonal apple picking, farm market, bakery, petting zoo, and family activities. Closely matches BJ Reece's U-Pick + farm activity model and tiered admission structure.

Emerging players

• Hardy Creek Farm: Small-scale North Georgia farm offering seasonal U-pick apples and farm experiences. Smaller footprint but directly comparable in U-Pick + family activities model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BjReeceOrchards
• Instagraminstagram.com/bjreeceorchards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bj-reece-orchards-l.l.c

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 BJ REECE ORCHARDS, L.L.C