City Fruit’s biggest celebration of the year, City Fruit Celebrates is just around the corner. It’s time to respite from the hectic harvest schedule and take a moment to reflect on the journey, say thanks to those who helped us get here, and celebrate this wonderful fruit community that we are all part of. In doing so we want to highlight our generous sponsors of Celebrates!
Capitol Cider
In a city that loves cider so much, it’s no surprised that the nation’s largest independent cider bar can be found right here in Seattle, in a 100+ year old historic building located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Capitol Cider is a warm and welcoming place for people to gather, share, savor and commune. It’s a gathering place for people who love cider and all things apple. At Capitol Cider you can find an extensive and thoughtfully curated list of beverages that includes not only cider but other apple-based spirits and wines, plus 100% gluten-free gourmet comfort food using seasonal and local produce that often includes- you guessed it, apples!
We are excited to welcome Capitol Cider back as our Tasting Glass Sponsor, and can’t wait to raise a Capitol Cider glass and toast to the season’s bounty.
Central Co-op
We are excited to welcome our new sponsor, Central Co-op as the Tasting Card sponsor of this year’s Celebrates. Central Co-op is an independent, democratically-governed solidarity cooperative that is owned by people who shop and work there. Central Co-op is dedicated to sustainable practices, community accountability, and the local food economy, which means many of the products available at Central Co-op are sourced from local farmers and producers that adhere to the highest level of sustainable and ethical practices. Anyone can join Central Co-op and become an owner, and be part of their community-driven grocery that is more than just a place to shop, but a resource for healthful and thoughtful living.
“In celebration of Central Co-op’s 40th year in Seattle, we are pleased to sponsor City Fruit Celebrates, which highlights so many of the same ideals we hold dear. Please join with us in celebrating a fantastic local organization who serves our neighbors and feeds a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable regional food system.”
Charlie’s Produce
Charlie’s Produce is a full service produce company that have been supplying fresh, local, high quality produce to restaurants, grocery stores, institutions, wholesalers and the marine industry in the Pacific Northwest and beyond for over three decades. Charlie’s Produce believes that there is a clear connection between the health and profitability of a company and the general wellbeing of the community in which it does business. That’s why Charlie’s Produce is a proud partner of many worthy local organizations, including City Fruit, and support in their efforts to improve the quality of life in our communities.
“At Charlie’s, we are deeply devoted to giving back to our community. Our employees and the local businesses we partner with are essential in achieving our vision of a world where no one has to go hungry and everyone has the opportunity to live a productive, fulfilling life. We recognize that enhancing the lives of those in need often takes place at a local level, where individuals come together to make a difference in their own communities, so we are proud to support organizations that focus on feeding the hungry and ending homelessness in the Northwest.”
Hot Stove Society
Another partner who has been a big City Fruit supporter for many years is Tom Douglas Restaurants. They have not only been a frequent customer of City Fruit, but have also been a great advocate for our efforts to add value to otherwise unutilized fruit. That’s why we are thrilled that Tom Douglas Restaurants’ Hot Stove Society is going to create dishes for this year’s Celebrates using a variety of fruit we harvested throughout the harvest season.
Hot Stove Society is an year-round cooking school operated by Tom Douglas Restaurants located inside Hotel Andra. The classes range from the Lunch Class series and their world famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie making class, to multi-day courses designed for people who are looking for intensive culinary experiences. The classes often feature locally, nationally, and internationally renowned chefs and culinary experts, and many of them are also presented by Hot Stove Society’s talented team of chefs. And we cannot wait to try what they come up with for Celebrates using all the fruit we harvested from all over the city!
New Seasons Market
Another new Celebrates sponsor is New Seasons Market. New Seasons Market opened its first Seattle store in Ballard earlier this year, and we are thrilled to have them on board! New Seasons Market was founded by three families from Portland, Oregon who had a vision of returning to the idea of a neighborhood market back in 1999. Since then, New Seasons Market has been serving the community as a fun, friendly place where customers could make that connection to who and where their food came from. It’s the kind of store that honors its farmers, ranchers, growers and makers- and help them prosper for generations to come.
“At New Seasons Market, we focus on building and nourishing the communities we serve, from the neighborhood we’re a part of to the global food community. We’ve always believed that giving back to our communities is the right thing to do. That’s why we donate 10% of our after-tax profits to local nonprofit organizations. To make sure our efforts have impact, we keep our focus on three key areas: fighting hunger, supporting our schools, and promoting environmental conservation. It is integral to our company mission to support organizations like City Fruit.”
Seattle Cider Company
We are excited to welcome back Seattle Cider Company to Celebrates again this year! Seattle Cider Company is not only a generous sponsor of Celebrates, but they will also be pouring their finely crafted cider for you all to enjoy. Our partnership began a few years ago when Seattle Cider Company graciously and enthusiastically agree to take our apples that were slightly damaged and not suitable for eating, and turn them into a tasty cider. Since then City Fruit Cider has been one of our favorite success stories that truly reflects our mission to put Seattle’s fruit to its best and fullest use.
Seattle Cider Company is the first cidery to produce cider in the city limits since prohibition, and it was a long time coming in a city that was leading the resurgence of craft cider movement at the time. Challenging the notion that cider has to be overly sweet, Seattle Cider Company focuses on creating flavorful ciders with limited sweetness using all natural ingredients and fresh pressed Washington apples.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market has been a longtime supporter of City Fruit and we are excited to have them back as the Raise the Paddle sponsor! Whole Foods Market has been a leading natural food grocer for many years, both nationally and locally. Each location is deeply involved with its own neighborhood, and Whole Foods Market celebrates and strengthens each community through employment, investment in local non-profits such as City Fruit, and a conscious commitment to their local producers.
“Welcome to Whole Foods Market. We are a collection of all things good. Our team members are artisans—custom butchers, scratch bakers, and certified cheese mongers. We know our local farmers and producers. We know health. We are dedicated to stringent quality standards and sustainable living practices. Shop with us and you will get the highest quality at the best price. And you’ll help us support our commitment to this community. We are proud supporters of City Fruit and their work in our local neighborhoods.”