New Owners For Snokist!

Snokist growers could wind up in new hands. An Oregon company looks to buy the cannery for more than $40-million. The day Snokist growers filed bankruptcy in December, the owner of an Oregon-based food processing company started talking about buying it.

Our news partner KIMA action news reports Truitt Brothers incorporated wants the Snokist plant to be the centerpiece of his canning operations.

Snokist's facility is still running during the bankruptcy reorganization.

A move it was forced into after losing millions of dollars in sales when an FDA investigation identified operational weaknesses.

It also took the blame for getting nine kids sick from moldy applesauce at school.

The courts are the only thing standing in the way of the deal.

Peter Truitt says Snokist represents a good move for his company.

The purchase will allow his brand to expand while still sourcing pears from Snokist growers so no one is left out in the cold.

Truitt says the deal would bring jobs to the area.

"Once this process is complete of course we fully intend to open a personnel operation and hire people from Yakima to a part of this operation moving forward," said Truitt.

Snokist board members didn't want to comment.

Chamber of Commerce President Verlynn best says the move would be good for Yakima.

"This is absolutely a positive," said Best. "It's better than a boarded up building and we need those jobs back. And if this is going to bring those jobs back to the valley, I think first and foremost that's what we need to look at."

Truitt is hopeful the deal will be approved.

He says it has all the necessary pieces for a very good production facility.

Snokist and Truitt Brothers expect to hear from the court next month about deal.