About

How it all began...

Hess Brothers Fruit Company is a family owned and operated 
business located in the heart of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 
The company began as a side venture by Edward and Arthur Hess, Lancaster county vegetable farmers; the brothers sold fresh apples from an old tobacco shed on Arthur’s farm to supplement their winter crop of homegrown celery. Eventually their apple distribution outgrew the tobacco shed and they moved their operation down the road – a short distance between the brothers’ two farms.

The business transitioned to Arthur’s sons Fred and Jerry who, along with their sister Cathy, took over operations.  By building a network of exceptional growers, investing in a world-class packing facility, and never forgetting their roots as a customer focused business, Hess Brother’s Fruit Company blossomed into a respected leader in the global supply of premium apples. 

Currently, the company is owned and operated by the 3rd generation of Hess family.  Jerry’s son Ryan and son-in-law Zach, along with Cathy’s son, Andy, oversee day-to-day operations of the now 2 million bushel strong apple company.  The company continues to lean on its strong, decades old relationships with some of the best growers in the world.

About

Actively Involved

Hess Brothers is an active participant in many reputable trade organizations devoted to the fruit industry. A few include the U.S. Apple Association, of which Ryan Hess is a current board member, and the U.S. Apple Export Council. These associations and organizations focus their efforts on the marketing and promotion of apples and represent the industry on national issues and matters pertaining to the apple industry, as well as consumer education and nutritional research.