SALEM, ORE. — Willamette Valley Pie Company, LLC is debuting a packaging rebrand and a new line of pie crusts made using an all-butter recipe. The company was founded in 1999 as the Willamette Valley Fruit Co. by the Gerald Roth family, who had been growing berries in Salem, Ore., for three generations. In 2001, the company acquired LaSuisse Specialty Foods and changed their name to the Willamette Valley Pie Co. WV Pie Co. sources berries not only from its own farms but also from 20 to 30 other Food Alliance certified local growers.
WV Pie Co. offers large 40-oz pies, mini 10-oz pies, 26-oz cobblers and 5-oz turnovers in a range of classic and seasonal flavors. Along with its fresh-frozen baked foods, the company also sells frozen berries, jam, freezer jam and syrups.
The new merchandise design features a craft paper brown background embellished with a dark blue and bright white label as well as window box packaging on all the products.
“We’ve come a long way from our roots as a farmer-owned frozen fruit company, meant to provide stability to local farm families,” said Austin Kelly, chief operating officer at WV Pie Co. “This long-overdue update is the opportunity for our image to match how we’ve ripened as a brand.”
The company’s launch of all-butter crusts will be available online on their website and nationwide in the freezer section of retailers, including select Safeway stores. Consumers will be able to choose among flavors in the all-butter line including Dutch caramel apple, cherry crunch, Oregon berry blend, triple chocolate cream, Key lime and traditional pumpkin. Available initially in the large pie size, WV Pie Co. also is planning the upcoming debuts of an all-butter hand pie and an all-butter individual pie crust.
“Despite our focus on nationwide expansion in retail, we will always remember our roots,” Mr. Kelly said. “Not only is our origin story the core of our identity, but we also very much plan on continuing our regional fundraising efforts supporting small business and our local communities.”
