Chukar Cherries

Distraction leading to success

Origin stories are fascinating, and Chukar's is no exception. New to farming, Pam Montgomery was balancing managing a large cherry orchard with raising three daughters under three. With one daughter strapped to her back and pushing young twins, she walked the 2-1/2 miles around the orchard. She distracted herself by thinking about the leftover cherries shriveling on trees.

Pam Montgomery

She and her then husband used money they had saved in their 20s while working real estate in Seattle to buy the largest cherry orchard in Washington, located in Prosser. Pam had moved from residential to commercial sales working with banks to sell condo projects that had fallen through in the difficult economic times. When Capitol Hill underwent a renewal in the late '70s, three laundromats lost long-term leases. The couple started a laundry and dry cleaning service, which they then sold to buy the orchard. "The wine industry hadn't developed, farming was in recession, so we were able to afford an orchard with 8,000 trees," Pam recalls. "We didn't understand agriculture or marketing, so were surprised to find out we had to pick fruit within two weeks to a) use pickers before they moved on, b) be first in the market to get a good price, and c) because the orchard was flat and all fruit ripened at the same time. We were stressed out."

Their drying fruit was getting sweeter and sweeter. Curious, she called University of California, Davis, the big agricultural school, to ask about using the dried cherries. They were at 25-26 brix. They told her the cherries wouldn't keep. Not quite believing it, she put cherries in Ziplock bags, dated them, and stuck them on top of the refrigerator. They got better and better.

"By 1988, I thought, 'this could be a business,' so I called the Port of Benton which had a mandate to develop the area. My business plan was accepted, and I was awarded a building; we're still there today. We didn't have enough fruit from our orchard, so we purchased cherries from small growers as we do today. We have precise specifications for the cherries we use from quality, size, and length of time on the tree, to dehydration and air time."

When her kids were young, Pam took a trip to London. At Harrod's, there was a giant room that had rotating themes. While there, the theme was fruits of Europe, plain and chocolate covered. "We tasted dark-chocolate-covered Bing cherries from Germany. It was my inspiration and is still the product we make."

Pam layering chocolate onto  Chukar's dried cherries

Whenever Pam was curious or needed something, she would research. These were pre-Internet days, so she would call AT&T information and ask for commercial or industrial whatever, then call those listings and ask to speak with the owner, CEO, or manager. After the London trip, she called Guittard Chocolate Company in Burlingame, California, and spoke to the owner. They had just automated and had copper pans to sell. She flew down, took them all in exchange for a $2,500 promissory note, and began coating cherries in chocolate.

Chukar uses three types of cherries: Rainier (the "white" cherry developed in the '60s at the WSU extension in Prosser), dark sweet Bings (named after a nurseryman who developed it to be a dark-colored, full-flavored cherry that would hold up to shipping), and Montmorency tart cherries (ancient bush cherries that are now cultivated). "We use high-quality fruit, high-end pastry chocolate from Guittard which melts smoothly, and natural flavors. We use no sulfites or artificial additives," explains Pam.

Dried cherries and chocolate-covered cherries were their first products and are still the foundation of their line. They've added nuts, sauces, pie fillings and more. They ship everywhere and sell a lot of business gift items and wedding favors. "The business has grown organically," says Pam. "We have a mail order catalog that our team creates, plus email newsletters and social media. These are authentic Northwest products; we're the real deal!"

In 1993, the Pike Place Market was a slower place and looking for farmers. Pam had lived in Seattle for 10 years and loved the Market; she took a boarded-up space and brought Chukar to locals and tourists. "Early on, I knew my strength was in creating a boutique food and gift business, tree-to-table, not an industrial food processing business. After my divorce, I was on a board where I met JT Montgomery who had retired after being in electronics/Boeing/a microwave start-up. We've been together 18 years and married 15. He says I don't have "that fear factor" of jumping into things. He is about safety and planning ahead and is a numbers guy. I've learned a lot from him; he's a great partner and mentor."

Pike Place Market stand

Pam named the company Chukar after the National Chukar Trials held on Horse Heaven Hills where handlers give commands to dogs to flush out Chukar partridges. "It's such an iconic thing, it seemed right. Also, Chukars have red legs as adolescents, and I could trademark it myself." She had Northwest illustrator Jim Hays create the Chukar ink and water color logo, still in use.

From growing up in Olympia to her attempted hippie days in Haight-Ashbury (it was over when she arrived), to puka-bead-wearing, African-dancing days, Pam has been true to herself. "For the first 15 years, I was just trying to keep my head above water. Chukar was the family income. I moved forward knowing there is always an answer to every problem and need. I went with how the business flowed. Now we're bigger and things are thought out and planned."

In early October, Chukar completed a 13,000 square foot fulfillment center behind their office/tasting room to streamline inventory and shipping. A Port Angeles artist will paint a giant Chukar logo on the side. In mid-October, they re-did the Pike Place Market booth to better represent the brand. "We like the pace we're at, not too slow or fast, being consistent and maintaining quality."

Chukar Cherries

320 Wine Country Road
Prosser, WA 99350
509-786-2055

1529-B Pike Place
Main Arcade
Seattle, WA 98101
206-623-8043

www.chukar.com

Organic holiday chocolate and cherry crate

Photos courtesy of Chukar Cherries

Connie Adams/November 2018