When it comes to farming, it’s all about timing. That’s what makes Okanagan-based Jealous Fruits the envy of cherry farms throughout the world.

The company capitalizes on the higher altitude of its orchards and Okanagan Lake’s moderating effect on temperature to extend cherry harvest into mid-September, so they can export product long after others have completed their seasons.

“There’s a big gap between Northern Hemisphere production and when the Southern Hemisphere production starts out of Chile and Argentina, as they don’t start until November,” says Jealous Fruits’ Sales Manager, Julie McLachlan.

“If we can pick fruit in early September, store it or put it on a boat to China, it’ll be sold in mid-October, when there will be literally nothing available in the world except us.”

Launched as a fruit stand in the early 1900s, Jealous Fruits is owned by the Geen family, with David Geen serving as the company’s CEO, running the operation with his two sons, Eric and Alex. The company is now the only vertically-integrated cherry grower in Canada, meaning they have the capacity to grow, process, and package their crops in-house—controlling the process from blossom to box, as McLachlan notes. “When you buy from us, you know you’re getting our fruit,” she says.

In the 1990s, David Geen saw an opening in the global market for cherries. With their years of experience and David’s reputation as one of the top cherry growers in the world, they went all-in. That was when their international business took off.

“There’s no place like the Okanagan. There’s a great sense of community, a lot of growth happening in the Valley. There’s quite a future for us.”

Growing cherries can be a risky investment, though. McLachlan notes that “cherries are a high-value crop because of its finicky relationship to heat and rain.”

Moreover, to compete as an international agricultural exporter, farms have to produce a significant volume. To meet international demand, Jealous Fruits has invested heavily in its infrastructure. In fact, the company opened its new, state-of-the-art 140,000 square foot facility in 2020.

The facility offers highly precise weight accuracy thanks to automatic box fillers. The latest technology, including the first UNITEC automatic palletizers in North America and optical sorting equipment, means gentler handling and quick identification of damaged product.

At its busiest, Jealous Fruits employs up to 1,200 staff, with more than 1,000 pickers throughout their 1,100 acres of cherry trees.

In 2021, the company produced its largest crop to date: nearly 7,000 tonnes, a 250% increase from the previous year. McLachlan says they are processing about 18 tons an hour.

In addition to mainland China, the farm has a sustained presence throughout Asia, including Taiwan and Japan. Jealous Fruits also exports to Europe and in 2022, they hope to enter the Korean market.

Geen says it’s extremely gratifying to see all of their hard work bearing fruit. “I take personal satisfaction in the jobs created and seeing our products shipped to markets around the world.”

“We’re very proud of the reputation that we have in the Central Okanagan and worldwide,” adds McLachlan. “It’s a testament to what David and his wife Laura have been putting into the company since the 1990s. It’s been a long time coming.”

As successful tree-fruit farmers, Karma and Kuku Gill worked and raised their kids on their Okanagan apple orchard—30 years later, the kids are all grown up and working alongside their parents to operate Farming Karma Fruit Co., the agritourism business the Gills launched in 2019. The transition from well-respected orchardists to successful producers of value-added fruit products and tourism experiences was supported by the community.

“Whether it was learning about manufacturing practices and equipment or retail sales and distribution, our community was able to assist us in different ways,” says Karma and Kuku’s son, Avi Gill, who is also the company’s president. It was a desire “to give back to the community,” he adds, as well as “the hope of sparking the interest of the next generation of agricultural pioneers,” that inspired Karma and Kuku to launch their family-owned and operated business.

Avi’s wife, Binny, and younger brother, Sumeet, are also involved in the business, using their unique combination of skills to make the company a success.

At the Gills’ Kelowna property, you’ll find Farming Karma’s production facility, where their line of fruit sodas, which are free of added concentrates, preservatives, and sugars, are made. 

Reflecting back on community partnerships, it was Peter Boyd of Independent Grocer who gave the Gills their first retail opportunity. After just three years in business, and thanks to some initial guidance from Boyd, Farming Karma Sodas can now be found in more than 3,000 stores across BC and Ontario, as well as select stores in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon.

Avi says being situated in the Okanagan and having the ability to build off the consumer desire for the region’s fruit has helped Farming Karma establish a solid reputation. The local community is also to thank.

“When you’re looking to collaborate [in the Okanagan], there is always someone who is willing to help make a positive impact on your business.” That’s good karma, indeed.

“The support from the community is immense and there is no other place you would want to start. It’s accessible and easy to create a buzz in this community—consumers here are progressive and always looking to support local businesses.”

On the far end of West Kelowna sits Paynter’s Fruit Market, a 40-acre fruit and vegetable farm owned and operated by Jennay Oliver, who is the fourth generation of the Paynter family to work this piece of land. More than 100 years ago, Jennay’s great grandfather, Edwin Paynter, first farmed here. In 1951, her grandfather, Harry Paynter Sr., sold the first pieces of fruit from a roadside stand. Her aunts and uncles took the helm in the ‘80s and then handed the reins to Jennay, who took over the operation in 2007 at the age of 23.

“Farming is a way of life, and it offers this perfectly balanced lifestyle,” says Jennay. “What keeps me passionate is seeing people come in and they’re so excited about when things are ready. They’re so excited that our fruit stand is located right on the orchard, they can walk out and see the fruit growing on the trees.”

Taking over the farm at such a young age, Jennay had to learn on the job; she says she is still constantly learning, as agriculture practices continue to shift and evolve. She credits the support of the farming community for helping her solve problems as they come up. Local organizations like the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission also keep her informed about programs and funding that can support her small business.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve doubled the production of our farm, and now we’re trying to consolidate, improve, and continue to build the sustainability of the farm and trying to be even more efficient with the fruit stand,” says Jennay. She notes that consumer preferences have also shifted to a more sustainable mindset during this time, with people caring more about food quality and having a connection with where their food comes from.

Farming sustainably means the Paynter’s team is constantly thinking about how to minimize inputs to keep the soil as healthy as possible. They use an array of farming techniques, like rotating fields, planting cover crops, not tilling, and using compost as fertilizer, to support the land. This all leads to fresh, locally grown produce that people buy up with enthusiasm, including chefs at local restaurants like Old Vines at Quails’ Gate Estate Winery and The Landing Kitchen + Bar at the Cove Lakeside Resort, both of which are also venues for business meetings and events. 

Making connections in the community extends to Jennay’s relationships with fellow farmers, who she regularly collaborates with. Since they don’t grow every type of fruit and vegetable on the farm, Jennay seeks out local and regional farmers who are growing quality products that can then be sold at Paynter’s Fruit Market, which only carries made in BC products. 

To Jennay, who is raising two young daughters on the farm, the future success of Paynter’s Fruit Market and farming in general extends well beyond her lifetime.

“In 100 years, I would like to see the same amount of land being farmed in the Okanagan that there is right now…it makes our land beautiful and it’s a huge part of our economy.”