Crunch Pak, a Cashmere, Wash.-based producer of sliced apple products, was founded in 2001 by a consortium of apple growers who believed people would consume more apples if they were easier to eat. So, the firm worked with outside suppliers to develop a process that included both the solution of vitamin C and calcium to prevent product spoilage and the breathable packaging that maintains the crispness and freshness of raw apples after they are sliced.
Crunch Pak started with just two offerings— sweet and tart apples. Today, the company’s products are sold at Costco and in supermarkets and convenience stores across North America. A new 39,000-square-foot plant expansion was completed in 2012 to handle its rapid sales growth. With the expanded space, Crunch Pak’s workforce of 900 can now process and ship approximately 1 million pounds of raw product per week. Crunch Pak’s product offerings have also evolved over the past decade and now include a full line of snack items that pair sliced apples with caramel or fruit dips, cheese, pretzels, grapes and more.