C.M. Holtzinger Fruit Co. and Snokist Growers
Announces Sales Agreement

C.M. Holtzinger Fruit Co. and Snokist Growers have reached a long-term sales agreement beginning April 1, 2005. Effective this date, Holtzinger will handle all fresh fruit sales and marketing activities for Snokist.

“The joint agreement give Snokist the power and scope of the Holtzinger sales and marketing organization and gives Holtzinger the expanded volume of our fruit supply,” said Valerie Woerner, President and CEO of Snokist Growers. “We are utilizing the combined resources of two great companies.”

The alliance of Holtzinger and Snokist and Oregon Cherry Growers will result in the second largest fresh cherry sales organization in the United States. Holtzinger, with its other fresh fruit products, will have one of the largest wholesale fresh fruit offerings in the industry.
“The addition of Snokist’s fresh fruit supply fits well within our sales and marketing strategies,” said Scott Hanses, Sales Manager of Holtzinger.

The agreement enables Holtzinger to expand its already considerable partnership with Oregon Cherry Growers (now called CherryLink), and allows the company to be more efficient in the highly competitive Northwest fresh apple marketplace. OCG, a grower-owned cooperative, owns fresh and processed cherry operations in Salem, Oregon and The Dalles, Oregon.

As part of Holtzinger’s plans for the future, the Snokist brand will join Holtzinger’s family of brands, including Green Giant Fresh®, Royal Purple®, Regal Red®, Blue Ribbon®, CherryLink™, Oregon Cherry Growers®, and The Dalles Cherry Growers®.