Merging tradition with innovation, CMI Orchards produces premium fruit while advancing regenerative, responsible farming
CMI Orchards, one of the largest and most influential fruit companies in the United States, is proving that great fruit and a healthy planet can grow together. Based in Wenatchee, Washington, the company is at the heart of apple, pear, and cherry country. “We’re owned by four grower families who have been farming in this valley for over a century; McDougall and Sons, Columbia Fruit Packers, Double Diamond Fruit, and Yakima Fruit Company,” Bob Mast, President, begins. “Growing knowledge, farming traditions, and experience have been passed down and preserved, and combined with technology and varietal advancements, position CMI at the forefront of fresh flavor and quality.”
Indeed, CMI knows it’s not enough to just grow great fruit. Establishing and operating orchards that can be passed to the generations that follow necessitate not
only satisfying consumers but also being great stewards of the land and farms. Across its orchards, CMI plants crops that add biodiversity and limit soil erosion, improve soil structure by creating a healthy environment for beneficial microbes, and reduce reliance on synthetic chemical inputs. The CMI team works closely with its network of growers to pilot regenerative practices on a large scale. By tracking soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, CMI can measure what works and replicate processes across company orchards. Combining science with practice, CMI tests new solutions and expands them in realistic ways for growers while still delivering significant, measurable results for the environment.
“From the very beginning, we’ve built a business rooted in family, driven by quality, and guided by a deep responsibility to the land and to future generations,” Bob adds. “That sense of responsibility is now taking tangible form through one of the most visionary sustainability projects in US agriculture: The Soil Center.”
A joint venture between CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming, The Soil Center is redefining sustainable agriculture. One of CMI’s owner companies, Double Diamond Fruit, also owns Royal Family Farming, creating a deeply aligned partnership in which the same family that helped build the region’s fruit economy is now guiding it toward a regenerative future.
“Many of us are blessed to have been born in the Columbia Basin to farming families,” says Michael Hebdon, General Manager of The Soil Center and Vice President of Regenerative Agriculture at Royal Family Farming. “Stewardship isn’t something we were taught; it runs in our blood.” The Soil Center embodies that belief by transforming orchard byproducts and livestock waste into valuable soil amendments: worm castings, compost, and biochar, that return nutrients to the land. “Healthier soils lead to healthier orchards,” he explains, “and healthier orchards support stronger fruit-growing economies and communities.”
The operation functions as a closed-loop system where every output from the orchards, packing facilities, and row crops become an input for regeneration. Around 50,000 cattle supply manure for composting and worm systems, linking animal health directly to soil regeneration. Millions of worms across 14 acres of worm farms convert liquid manure and woody orchard waste into castings rich in microbes that restore fertility and water retention. “Waste that once had little value now returns to the land as one of the most effective tools we have for building healthy orchards,” Michael elaborates. “Orchard debris and fruit culls are processed into biochar and compost instead of being burned, part of CMI’s zero-burn commitment to lock carbon in the ground and reduce emissions.”
“The Soil Center honors the legacy of our ownership families while charting the path forward,” adds Bob. “Together with Royal Family Farming, we’re creating a model for how regenerative agriculture can scale; one that benefits growers, strengthens rural economies, and inspires consumers. Farming can leave the land better than we found it.”
The impact isn’t just environmental. The Soil Center invests directly in local agriculture, creating jobs, giving growers access to regenerative tools that enhance yields and reduce costs, and providing retailers with access to measurable sustainability outcomes.
Stewards of the land
While The Soil Center is the cornerstone of CMI’s regenerative vision, its principles extend across the company’s operations. “At CMI, sustainability is not a side project or a stand-alone department,” affirms Rochelle Bohm, Vice President of Marketing. “It is woven into every part of our business. It guides how we manage energy in our packing facilities, how we approach transportation and logistics, and how we design packaging for consumers. We are investing in recyclable and compostable packaging options to help reduce waste, and we carefully choose print and packaging partners that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and use significant amounts of post-consumer recycled materials as they bring sustainable ideas to the table.
“Inside our warehouses, efficiency upgrades are lowering energy use, while in the orchards we are reducing inputs, conserving water, and building healthier soils. For us, sustainability means making decisions today that allow our orchards to thrive for the following generations. It is both a responsibility and an opportunity, and by aligning with the values of retailers and consumers who care deeply about the planet, we create shared value while staying true to our role as stewards of the land.”
The work is unified under CMI’s new CMI S.O.A.R.S. program, focused on advancing its sustainable and regenerative agriculture efforts through innovation, transparency, and real-world impact. The produce industry is facing no shortage of challenges: climate change, labor shortages, global trade shifts, and evolving consumer expectations to name a few. Remaining a steward in this environment requires both resilience and adaptability.
For CMI, stewardship means protecting its orchards while also protecting the livelihoods of the people who work in them. It means using innovation to adapt to climate challenges, whether by planting varieties that can withstand changing weather patterns or adopting farming techniques that conserve water. It means standing shoulder-to-shoulder with growers and helping them implement solutions that are financially sustainable as well as environmentally beneficial. By working together as a network of growers and by sharing knowledge across the industry, CMI can continue to meet these challenges while ensuring that its orchards remain productive, its communities remain strong, and the environment is preserved.
Strategic partner
Strategic partner CMI’s regenerative vision goes hand-in-hand with its drive for innovation. While CMI’s core business is growing, packing, and marketing fresh apples, pears, and cherries, what makes the company unique is the diversity of its portfolio. “We offer a wide range of licensed varieties, many of which are exclusive to CMI, with some shared among a select group of growers,” Rochelle adds. “Our portfolio is expansive and includes 31 different products.
“Each of these varieties has its own story and flavor profile, and we specialize in educating consumers about the taste differences through product education and retail tools. Beyond the fruit itself, we provide a full suite of services to our retail partners including data-driven category management, marketing campaigns designed to inspire and engage consumers, packaging innovations, and sustainability partnerships that help retailers meet their environmental goals. We see ourselves not just as a fruit company, but as a strategic partner to retailers and a driver of growth for the produce category.”
CMI is driving growth through varietal innovation and brand development. Consumers are no longer satisfied with a one-size-fits-all apple. They want distinct flavors, textures, and experiences, and retailers are looking for partners who can bring that variety to life in ways that build loyalty and category growth. The company leads the industry in premium apple brands, including SugarBee®, Cosmic Crisp®, Envy™, and Ambrosia Gold®, which are among the top five best-selling apple brands in the US market, reshaping consumer expectations for flavor and quality. “These brands are supported by bold marketing campaigns and retail activations that make them instantly recognizable and highly sought-after,” Rochelle adds. Other high-flavor varieties, like Kanzi®, KIKU®, EverCrisp®, and Jazz™, offer additional choices for flavor-focused shoppers.”
CMI’s newly launched Apple Crush® app targets younger shoppers by creating personalized experiences that match apples to taste preferences and lifestyle. “For retailers, it provides valuable data on shopper choices to refine assortment, drive incremental sales, and connect with a generation that traditional produce marketing has struggled to reach,” Rochelle explains. The program can be deployed digitally or through in-store QR codes. Similarly, American Dream® connects consumers with veteran communities through every purchase, offering patriotic promotional opportunities tied to key US holidays. Apple Flavors of the World™ curates premium global varieties now grown in Washington State, while the Flavogram® tool simplifies selection at the shelf by comparing sweetness, tartness, and texture with an innovative visual tool.
At the forefront of these efforts is Planet Positive™, CMI’s groundbreaking brand created to help shoppers identify fruit that actively benefits the planet. The Planet Positive™ seal represents fruit that has been grown and packed through regenerative practices, removing more carbon from the atmosphere than the growing process emits. Cutting through the noise of greenwashing, the brand provides retailers and consumers with something tangible: a trusted mark of genuine, positive environmental impact. By linking transparency, measurable results, and strong storytelling, Planet Positive™ bridges the gap between farm-level innovation and in-store engagement, helping people choose food that is better for them, and the planet.
Sustainable solutions
CMI extends innovation beyond apples into cherries, offering premium varieties like Skylar Rae® and Strawberry Cherries™, providing new flavors and extending the season. Packaging innovations are also underway, with recyclable and compostable solutions designed to reduce plastic while maintaining food safety and freshness.
“Together, these programs create a fresh, modern category experience,” Rochelle notes, “providing retailers with tools to grow sales, connect with shoppers, and secure the future of the apple category.” CMI continues to lead by combining premium fruit with innovative marketing, retail solutions, and sustainable practices.
Looking ahead three-to-five years, CMI envisions continuing to set the global standard for regenerative agriculture. “We are proud to already be carbon negative today, removing the equivalent emissions of nearly 75,000 vehicles from the road every year,” says Bob. “That figure will only climb as we innovate, capturing emissions and transforming waste into valuable products. Our ownership families built an extraordinary fruit economy, and now that legacy is driving measurable environmental progress at scale.”
“With just half a percent of Washington’s agricultural acres, we will reduce or neutralize five percent of the state’s total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions,” adds Michael. “Within five years, we hope to expand that impact to reduce 15 percent of Washington’s agricultural carbon footprint.”
Additionally, Rochelle sees expansion on multiple fronts: “Internally, we’ll advance our orchards with regenerative tools that sequester more carbon and improve soil health. Externally, we’ll bring soil products from The Soil Center to retail, creating a closed-loop story consumers can see and touch.” Alongside this, CMI will continue driving branded apple and cherry innovation while expanding globally. “The next few years will prove that fruit farming can be Planet Positive™,” she enthuses.
“At CMI,” Bob concludes, “our roots remain in the family farms that built us. Everything we do connects back to the land, our growers, and our communities. Through innovation and care for the environment, we’re proving agriculture can be both productive and regenerative, thereby building a healthier future for the land and those who depend on it.”