In the last seven years, Perrault Farms, Inc. has averaged approximately $5 million per year in capital expenses in land and facilities, compared to an average of $150,000 per year in the previous decade. Starting in 2012, they began a complete overhaul of their operation, replacing their kiln, cooling room, and picking machine for the first time in decades, all in the name of quality and a connection to brewers from around the world.
As a founding family in the Yakima Chief supply chain, the importance of connection between grower and brewer is sacred to Perrault Farms. That connection between grower and brewer has given the Perrault family the confidence and conviction to allocate massive resources at improving infrastructure for capacity and quality. “None of this could have happened without the relationships we have with brewers; the branded hops that YCR is known for would have never happened without that connection,” said Steve Perrault, President of Perrault Farms. “The connection that we have with brewers is so much stronger, and much more transparent than it has been in the past. This transparency has driven the farm to do better. We take pride in delivering hops to a brewer that we know, and we can be proud of the quality product we put forth.”
The major investment for Perrault Farms in 2019 is a complete second picking facility that will be used to enhance quality across the whole farm. The machine was designed to improve efficiency and quality by picking fields and brands that are smaller, such as organic hops or Hop Breeding Company experimentals. This level of investment does not come without risks, however, but those are understood by the Perrault family. When asked about concerns for the future, Jason Perrault, CEO of Perrault Farms said, “For us, this is about generations down the road, not years. We have literally bet the farm on our relationships with brewers (with the substantial long-term debt incurred to reinvest), but the stability that YCH, YCR, and breweries bring gives us the confidence to make that bet.”
Posted January 04, 2020