Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the developer and grower behind the Arctic apple varieties, has completed the construction of its controlled atmosphere facility at its Moses Lake campus in Washington.

The cutting-edge controlled atmosphere (CA) facility at their Moses Lake Campus is now operational covering 9,940 square metres.

Ray Moody, facility operations manager, said the facility uses advanced refrigeration and controlled atmosphere technology.

鈥淭his technology helps maintain the freshness, flavour, texture, and nutritional value of Arctic apples, extending their shelf life and ensuring the unparalleled quality our apples are known for,鈥� he said.

鈥淲ith construction now complete, we are well-positioned to meet the growing demand for our products as our orchard production continues to increase yearly,鈥� said Don Westcott, president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits.

The fall harvest is underway and the facility will be able to handle Arctic Goldens, Arctic Grannys, and Arctic Fujis.

Okanagan Specialty Fruits, founded in 1996, is based in Summerland. The company specializes in developing, growing, processing and marketing novel tree fruit varieties developed through bioengineering.