BC Tree Fruits Cooperative

The BC Tree Fruits Cooperative was founded in 1936. Its operations expanded to include a fruit grower equipment supply company, a fresh fruit market in Kelowna and, in 2014, a craft cider company. In 2022, there was opposition from a large proportion of the co-op's membership to decisions made by the board of directors on the sale of co-op assets, and the decision to shutter the Lake Country fruit packing house (which forced central and north Okanagan growers to ship their fruit to Oliver in the south Okanagan). A special general meeting on 5 February 2024 saw 70% of the co-op's voting members reject motions that aimed to unseat four of the board's ten members and change the decision-making process regarding property sales. ==Closure==

In July 2024, the cooperative said it would no longer receive fruit at its packing facilities and advised members to find an alternative to market fruit for the balance of the season. The co-op's primary revenue source was from the sale of apples (followed by cherries and other fruits), and apple volumes declined significantly from 122 million pounds in 2018 to 60 million pounds in 2023. The company sought to right-size its operations through sales of surplus real estate and modernization of its operations in a new facility located in Oliver, but overall bank indebtedness rose through 2024. ==Protests==

Industry representatives and growers protested the closure of BC Tree Fruits, asking the British Columbia government to intervene. However, others argued against the co-op taking on more debt and the associated interest costs, noting that more than half of the grower members had already found an alternative packing or storage facility. ==Bankruptcy proceedings==

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative filed for creditor protection in August 2024. Overall debts were reported to be around $65 million. At the court hearing on August 26, the lawyer for the creditor protection monitor said there were expressions of interest from buyers for some of the co-op's plants and the sale of its Vaughan Avenue, Kelowna, plant was finalized for $22 million. Bidding deadlines for assets were to close by November because of the interest in properties and the need to provide processing and storage facilities for the 2024 harvest season. On Thursday September 12 the British Columbia government said the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (which is responsible for delivering many government-funded agricultural programs) would direct about $4 million to pay co-op members amounts they are owed by BC Tree Fruits, and it would recoup the funds at the end of the court process. The final significant transaction as a part of the bankruptcy process was the $22.75 million sale in May 2025 to Penticton-based Wildstone Construction of the co-op's former packinghouse in Oliver. Also included in the transaction were properties in Summerland and Keremeos, remaining equipment, inventory, and intellectual property including the green leaf logo. Wildstone said it was partnering with a local investor group and Ontario-based Algoma Orchards to operate the new venture under the BC Tree Fruits name. ==References==