In 1946 J.M Wade advised his people he was closing his Wenatchee operation. His former employees, Ike Wade, Bob Shultz, Rollie Cranmer, Walter Cox and growers John Grubb and Elmer Cranmer formed Columbia Fruit Packers. J.M gladly leased to Columbia Fruit his warehouse and they began packing cherries that summer. After a successful cherry season they were looking forward to apples when J.M decided he would not close his Wenatchee operation and asked everyone to come back to work for him, however they all declined and made arrangements with Schons Fruit to rent their warehouse for cherries. This meant no place to pack apples, though.

^{Pictured: John Parkhill (Fruit Salesman), Ike Wade, Jim Wade}