Washington Apple Producer Expands Scale Through Court-Supervised Asset Purchase

Legendary Fruit Company has entered into a letter of intent to acquire substantially all assets of Brewster Heights Packing & Orchards (operating as Gebbers Farms) through a court-supervised sale process, the company announced June 5.

The transaction would unite two of Northern Washington's major tree fruit producers. Upon completion, the combined operation will control more than 15,000 acres and hold exclusive production and packaging rights to SugarBee®, Rockit™, Lucy™ Rose, and Lucy™ Glo apples.

Scale and Output

The combined company would produce approximately 12 million boxes of apples and 4.5 million boxes of cherries annually, positioning it as one of the region's largest producers. Legendary operates facilities in Wapato and Chelan, Washington.

Commitment to Existing Relationships

"The Gebbers name is the preeminent name in Northern Washington for apples, pears and cherries. We have known and worked with the team there for many years—not only as respected operators in our industry, but as neighbors who share the same commitment to excellence that guides our own business," said Steve Clement, CEO of Legendary Fruit Company. "This agreement strengthens our ability to bring consumer-favorite apple and cherry varieties to market, including SugarBee® apples. With our partnership in the North, we will continue the legacy of building strong relationships with growers, retailers, packaging partners and the communities we call home."

Clement added: "The fruit packed at BHPO will continue to supply Chelan Fresh. At the same time, CMI Orchards will remain a key strategic marketing partner for Legendary Fruit Company and will continue to market all fruit from Legendary's existing operations outside of the Gebbers acquisition, with no changes to those current programs and customer relationships."

Why It Matters

The deal reflects consolidation pressures in the premium fruit sector, where scale increasingly matters for competing with larger integrated producers. The combination secures Legendary's access to proprietary SugarBee® genetics—a significant competitive asset—while maintaining distribution channels through existing partnerships. For retailers and foodservice operators, the transaction stabilizes supply chains for branded apple varieties while preserving existing supplier relationships on both sides of the deal.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors