Liberty Orchards, the maker of Aplets & Cotlets, the chewy and iconic Washington confection out of Cashmere, has announced it will close its doors in June.
The family-owned business will continue to seek a buyer for the assets, including the brands, the production equipment, and the factory and warehouse buildings, according to a press release on its website.
According to the Wenatchee World, the family has been looking for a buyer for three years.
The company was founded in 1920 by two Armenian refugees, Mark Balaban and Armen Tertsagian. The two created Aplets, and then later Cotlets, from surplus apples and apricots from their orchard. The recipe was based on an Armenian specialty called locoum, which more famously known as Turkish Delight.
The company's current president, Greg Taylor, is the grandson of Armen Tertsagian.
Aplets & Cotlets became a regional favorite, including a proposal a decade ago to be named the official state candy, over Almond Roca, made by Brown and Haley of Tacoma.
Twitter expressed sadness over the news.
