Zero Waste Fresh Cherry Line

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It's cherry harvest season at Chukar Headquarters in Eastern Central Washington, and we're buzzing with activity! During harvest we transform fresh cherries into the chocolate cherries, dried cherries, and cherry toppings that you love. Responsible manufacturing practices are built into the process.

We are proud to report that our “Cherry Line”—where we sort, wash, de-stem, and pit fresh cherries—is a zero waste operation. That means that nothing from the 200+ tons of fresh cherries that we process each year goes into a landfill. We feel pretty great about that!

But where does all the waste go? Cherry pits, culls, and stems are either turned into nutrient-rich compost, which supports local agriculture, or used as extra fill gravel on country roads. Even the fruit that's bruised or split gets a second life through composting.

And there's more good news: Our Cherry Line is predominantly powered by green energy. At least 93% of our power usage is carbon-free, courtesy of the bountiful rivers and hydro resources in the Northwest. 

We take pride in sourcing tree-ripened, locally grown cherries, many of which come from family farmers that we’ve worked with for decades. Local sourcing not only supports our community but also reduces carbon-heavy transit. 

This year, we are planning on drying even more cherries than previously thanks to the addition of a brand new dehydrator. According to General Manager Tim Oten, “The new dehydrator will nearly doubles our capacity. Just as important, it prepares us for seasonal variability and changing growing conditions.” The design and manufacturing of the custom dryer was over a year in the making with all fabrication done locally. 

At Chukar, we're constantly exploring innovative ways to enhance our sustainability practices. To learn more about our ongoing initiatives, please visit our Responsibility page.