Read about our company
About Us
from a humble packing house…
to an internationally respected firm
Located in the heart of the Hood River Valley since 1919, Duckwall Fruit has grown from a humble packing house in the middle of an orchard to an internationally respected firm that packs over two million cartons annually of premium pears. Our markets are worldwide with domestic shipments to every corner of the United States. Duckwall Fruit exports to all reaches of the world with major markets in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. Fruit varieties from Hood River Valley orchards, hand picked into large plastic bins are delivered to Duckwall from mid-August until early October. Upon arrival, the bins are routed to either ambient air cold storage or controlled atmosphere storage (CA) depending on how the fruit is scheduled for future grading and sizing.
OUR MISSION
CERTIFICATIONS
We strive to provide an excellent quality and safe end product for the consumer. We certify our facility on various levels and through numerous entities to meet all of your buying needs. Please contact Craig Mallon directly if you have any certification questions or need proof of specific certificates held by Duckwall Fruit.
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- SQF Facility and Grower
- SQF Costco Addendum
- Global Gap Grower
- USDA/ODA Organic
- USDA Facility and Grower
- Walmart and Costco Ethic Certified
Board Of Directors
Duckwall Fruit is managed by a Board of Directors who shall exercise or direct the exercise of all corporate powers except to the extent shareholder authorization is required by law, the articles of incorporation or its bylaws.
The Board of Directors shall consist of seven members, a minimum of four of which shall be outside directors. The remaining members may be inside directors, not to exceed three nor less than two.
Outside directors shall be defined as persons who have active or retired professions outside the company and have not been active in the company management or operation. The inside directors may be either active or retired company officers, but who are not members of the company bargaining unit.
The Board of Directors may nominate any outgoing director to hold a non-voting position on the Board with a title of Chair Emeritus to allow for recognition and historical knowledge to be provided to the current slate. A Chair Emeritus nomination shall be confirmed by a majority vote of current directors and be considered a lifetime appointment.
Please meet our current Board of Directors. Feel free to reach out to the Board directly at: board@duckwallfruit.com
SEE OUR FACILITIES
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Duckwall History
Over 100 years
Duckwall Fruit began in 1919, when the Duckwall brothers, John and William St. Clair, shipped apples from Hood River, Oregon to Indianapolis, Indiana. Returns were better than that of neighboring growers who asked to be included in the following year’s shipment.
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Because of that initial success, the first office was established in Hood River in 1926. To increase the distribution and improve sales profits of fruit, John traveled to Europe in 1929 to establish export markets that have grown to about one third of the company’s total sales volume. In 1958, Duckwall Brothers moved all facilities to Odell, in the middle of the Hood River Valley, where they remain today.
In 1971, the company grew dramatically with the merger of Duckwall Fruit and Pooley Fruit Company, and the current corporate name, Duckwall Fruit, simplified the company’s identification. Duckwall Fruit currently packages over 2.25 million cartons of pears that are grown by over 70 growers on 115 separate farms. In 2019, the company celebrated its 100th birthday.
Our pears are marketed under three basic labels: Duckwall, Gosling, and Mt. Hood. We are proud of our heritage and we look forward, with our excellent staff of dedicated employees, to continue serving our growers and to provide quality pears around the world.