Canadian-sourced fruit trees and grape vines may be harder to access with the bankruptcy of Upper Canada Growers.
Upper Canada Growers Ltd., Canada’s largest tree fruit nursery, and its associated business, UCG Land Inc., filed under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act in May.
Court documents note the financial difficulties of the companies were the result of numerous factors, including a “sharp reduction in revenue” in the year up to Nov. 30, 2024.
Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the family-owned and operated Upper Canada Growers was a retail and wholesale supplier of nursery stock. The company listed numerous varieties of peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, apples, cherries and grapes.
The orchards of Upper Canada Growers encompassed 320 acres of apples and 110 acres of peaches. The facilities also included a 10,000 sq. ft. tissue culture lab, known as Hopetown Plant Labs in Harrow, Ontario, which provided cloning services.
The two companies listed total current liabilities of over $36 million as of Nov. 30, 2024, the last internal financial statement. ■