Kare-Ful-Pak Washington Fruit Label

This attractive label for Kare-Ful-Pak Brand features an image of a peach, apricot, and Plum (prunes) on a dark blue background. The label dates to the 1940s, measures 9.75" Wide x 2.75" High, and comes from Prentice Packing & Cold Storage Co. of Yakima, Washington.

Prentice Packing & Cold Storage Co. was started by Ed and Howard Prentice in 1926 as a packing and storage operation. They packed and shipped the fruit for several growers in railcars to markets in the East and Midwest. Although well known for their Kare-Ful-Pak Brand, there is a fascinating story of why they started the soon to be famous Mr. Apple Brand.

In the 1950s, prices received for fruit on the East Coast established the price for that label's fruit in the Midwest (1 hour later). So brokers in Chicago were forced to sell fruit for the price it fetched (frequently lower) in the East, even if demand was higher in the Midwest. To combat this standard pricing policy, Prentice sent the Midwest brokers the same quality fruit, but under a different label. Thus was born the Mr. Apple Brand, whose face is said to be a caricature of Howard Prentice, Jr., who took over control of the company in 1967, but had worked for the company since the 1940s. 

Prentice Packing & Cold Storage remains in business today at 202 North 1st Avenue in Yakima, Washington, as an apple grower and packer through the Oneonta Trading Company.

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