Category:United Fruit Companies

The United Fruit Companies of Nov Scotia was a co-operative network of apple growers who operated the majority of the apple warehouses on the DAR and played a major role in shipping apples and related products from 1911 until 1957. The United Fruit Companies were organized July 1912 as a co-op wholesale fruit marketing group founded initially by 51 farmers and fruit warehousing companies across the Annapolis Valley. It was formed by growers to work together to store, pack, ship and market their apples together in co-op warehouses all along the DAR. The United Fruit Companies was comprised of “central”, headquarters staff in Kentville, and the “locals”, the farmer-owned co-op fruit companies along the DAR, each with its own track-side warehouse. The United Fruit Companies allowed many smaller and medium growers to earn a better living from apple farming by reducing shipping costs and paying better prices a well as providing spray and fertilizer at discount prices. The cooperatives faced stiff competition from corporate shipping organizations, particularly the British Canadian Fruit Association, W.H. Chase and Herbert Oyler who drew on deeper capital locally and from British firms. These large companies controlled many smaller growers by loaning them money and supplies in exchange for exclusive control of their apple crops. To cope with the collapse of the British apple export market, the United Fruit Company built a warehouses and food processing plant at Coldbrook in 1946 to process apples more efficiently and develop new products. Shrinking markets for fresh apples and pressure from big private fruit companies caused serious problems for the United Fruit Companies in the 1950s. However the company was able to reorganize in 1957 and reform as a new co-op under the name Scotian Gold, which still operates today.

Founding Co-op Warehouses of the United Fruit Companies and Managers 1912^[1]

Middleton Fruit Company— A. P. Dodge
S. B. Chute Fruit Company, Berwick— S. B. Chute
Central Fruit Company, Clarence — A. P. Ramsey
Granville Fruit Company — G. I. Salter
Aylesford Fruit Company — A. E. McMahon
Port Williams Fruit Company — J. Elliott Smith
Kingsport Fruit Company— H. R. Kinsman
Round Hill Fruit Company — F. E. Mason
Bridgetown Fruit Company — Geo. Chute
Blomidon Fruit Company — J. D. Beqnett
New Minas Fruit Company — E. H. Johnson
Star Fruit Company, Paradise — Arthur T. Morse
Banner Fruit Company, Bridgetown — F. H. Johnson
Falmouth Fruit Company — B. S. Davison
Kentville Fruit Company — Captain C. O. Allen
Sheffield Fruit Company— J. E. Taylor
Canard Fruit Company — Captain Haliburton
Kingston Fruit Company — F. W. Foster
Berwick Fruit Company— B. W. White
Rockland Fruit Company — G. P. Raymond
Pleasant Valley Fruit Company, Berwick — T. H. Morse
Cornwallis Fruit Company — A. S. Banks
Maple Leaf Fruit Company, Canning — C. W. McKeen
Tupperville Fruit Company — Howard E. Bent
Enterprise Fruit Company, Clarence, — H. Messenger
Clarence Fruit Company — C. C. Barteaux
Paradise Fruit Company — F. W. Bishop
South Farmington Fruit Company —J. M. Palmer
Waterville Fruit Company — F. M. Chute
Mayflower Fruit Company, Kings- port— R. S. Kinsman
Grand Pre Fruit Company — A. H. Westcott