A Legacy in the Making
In 1982 our young family moved from urban Seattle
to an 8,000-tree cherry orchard in Washington’s
rural Yakima Valley and began a life of farming.
Bing cherry dehydration trials took place on our farm using tree-ripened fruit placed in a circulating warm air tunnel. The result was delicious, shelf‑stable dried cherries without adding additional sugar or artificial preservatives.
The corporate name was first established under Chukar Fruit Inc., commonly referred to as Chukar Cherries. The corporate name was subsequently updated to Chukar Cherries Inc. and also registered as the brand name: Chukar Cherries®.
In 2001, Chukar® became the central registered brand name, with all rights reserved. A hand drawn Chukar bird illustration was the company’s first logo graphic. The company's logo mark is a depiction of a Chukar partridge, known to inhabit the lands of the arid and grassy Intermountain West, including the Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima River areas in Eastern Washington. The Chukar® bird graphic logo mark had several renditions throughout the 1990s. The current logo mark was federally registered in 2006, with all rights reserved.
Chukar Cherries moves into a leased manufacturing building on Wine Country Rd. Chukar Cherries Gift Shop is located inside the front entrance. Food processing, dehydration, and confectionery are in the back and ends of the building. The building footprint is expanded twice in 10 years to accommodate growth.
Chukar’s first product catalog is created using hand drawn illustrations and typed text. It’s the start of Chukar’s direct-to consumer sales. T.P. Swartz from Providence, Rhode Island, is Chukar’s first mail order customer.
Chukar Cherries in Seattle’s Pike Place Market retail location is established and continues to this day—located near the skybridge in the center of the Market’s main arcade.
Chukar begins sourcing tree-ripened cherries from local growers, who deliver their harvests down the road to Chukar headquarters, where they are carefully prepped, washed, and slowly dried in warm air tunnels. Partnerships with local Washington cherry growers become central to Chukar’s ability to grow.
While visiting England, Founder Pam Montgomery is inspired by a collection of chocolate and fruit confections in the famed Harrods of London. Returning to the Northwest, she purchases 14 craftsman panning kettles from Guittard Chocolate, a 5th generation fine chocolate manufacturer that was automating their operation. Today, these panning kettles are central in Chukar’s chocolate production.
1997
CHUKAR.COM internet site established.
JT Montgomery comes on board as Chukar’s first CFO and process improvement guru. With a storied background in start-ups and turn-a-rounds, JT transformed Chukar into a visual factory, analyzed cycle times and throughput, and set up training and education for the team members. It changed Chukar’s culture to focus on individual commitment and team strength. A love story written among cherries and chocolate, Pam and JT marry in 2005.
Kathleen Young is hired as Production Manager. Instrumental in creating operational systems, hiring, training, and vast on-going improvements, Kathleen was soon promoted to Operations Manager. After decades of leadership and contribution, she retired in 2025.
2007
Chukar’s shipping center is erected behind the original factory building. It was quickly outgrown and is now utilized for dry storage and maintenance.
Install of Yamato Combo scale; a precise weighing system with packaging film form & fill capability.
Tim Oten becomes Chukar’s General Manager, responsible not only for the overall business operations but also specifically for the enterprise’s technology architecture. In consultation with JT, he increased Chukar’s plant capacity, fresh cherry processing, and order fulfillment with new construction and system improvements. General Manager Tim Oten became an owner in 2024.
Chukar Cherry Fulfillment Center, a 12,000 sq. ft facility is built adjacent to the original factory building. In 2025 it was renamed the Kathleen Young Fulfillment Center in her honor.
The Covid pandemic ascended. Overnight, Chukar’s wholesale sales and most retail sales dried up, including in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Meanwhile, Chukar’s direct-to-consumer sales swelled. In factory headquarters, Chukar adjusted to the pandemic with daily wellness checks and increased sanitation. As a vertically integrated manufacturer, Chukar was able to buffer supply chain shocks and meet elevated demand by seamlessly manufacturing and shipping products direct from its factory.
Wynne Smith, Pam’s daughter, joined Chukar in a dual role of Project Manager and Director of Marketing, adding great value from day one.
2024
Matt Young, Kathleen’s son, joins
Chukar in a dual role of Kitchen Supervisor and Chocolate Supervisor.
Inclement weather and market speculators cause the price of raw chocolate to double in 2023 and again in 2024—reaching an all-time high. On top of this, new import tariffs are imposed on cacao and sugar cane (only grown in tropical areas) and any gift packaging manufactured overseas.
2025
Chukar’s updated packaging is finalized, and features special occasion, Holiday, and Cherry Christmas designs. Director of Operations Kathleen Young retires and Shane Carey takes the helm as Plant Manager. The Chukar team grows to about 60 full time employees, with additional seasonal staff during cherry processing and holiday.
CHUKAR.COM - The e-commerce platform migrates from Magento 2 to Shopify. The Chukar Cherries team continues to craft its cherry and chocolate gifts using local Washington fruit. Chukar’s specialties can be purchased at their flagship store and factory headquarters in Prosser, Washington, at their store in the center of Seattle’s Pike Place Market or shipped internationally at CHUKAR.COM.
The Chukar Brand
Northwest illustrator Jim Hays created a library of pen & watercolor images depicting the cherries, berries, nuts, and wildlife of our region. To this day, these illustrations are the heart of the Chukar brand. From the engaging Chukar logo to fruit & nut illustrations on Chukar® packaging—Jim captured the Pacific Northwest.
What’s Chukar?
A rotund game bird and aerial speedster, the Chukar is related to a rock partridge and inhabits the arid lands of the Intermountain West. Their song is a noisy chuck-chuck-chukar-chukar, from which the name is derived.
Awards & Honors
- Small Business of the Year
Washington State Small Business Administration - Outstanding Product Line
Specialty Food Association - Food Processor of the Year Silver
Washington Manufacturing Awards - Gourmet Food of the Year
Housewares Design Awards - Good Food Award Winner
Good Food Foundation
CHUKAR MANAGEMENT
Family Owned, Quality Focused, Since 1988. As a well-run, community-oriented company, Chukar continually attracts good people and the development of the Chukar Team is a top priority at Chukar. Chukar provides a nurturing workplace where listening, continual improvement, workforce training, fair compensation, and good benefits are the norm.