One of the many unique qualities of the produce industry is the human element. Not only in the sense that produce people are unique, but in their exceptional need to accomplish a common goal: putting nutritious and tasty food on the table. Doing so with fresh, delicate blueberries is an annual celebration of teamwork and determination among the hardworking people that make up Rainier Fruit Company.
Rainier’s blueberries are 100 percent organically grown and hand-harvested. Professional harvesters comb the fields every summer, sorting through only the ripest berries and leaving the rest to continue sweetening up for another day’s harvest. It’s often said that quality is made in the field—when it comes to Rainier’s blueberries, this is no doubt thanks to the dedication of many skilled hands working together to grow and harvest the best fruit possible.
Though Rainier maintains a company kitchen all year to service its main facility, blueberry harvest marks an uptick in meals to prepare and serve. Providing hundreds of low-cost home-cooked breakfasts, lunches, and snacks daily—cookies, too, of course—requires early mornings and careful planning. A full-time crew maintains two cafeterias, faithfully feeding the entire operation through the seasonal rush.
Tasked with sorting and packing, Rainier’s tenacious blueberry team assembles every summer to tame the blue wave. Steadfast, spunky, and ever-dependable PJ Carlson, Bulk Inventory Manager, helps manage production, inventory, and quality control. The unofficial Queen of Blueberries, PJ marks her 12th season on the blueberry line this year, which has evolved into a humming machine of efficiency thanks to her years of experience.
