Copyright ©2007 Carter Thomas LLC. All rights reserved.  The Thomas Family and "Lakewood" Pears: Eighty Years of Pride and Tradition Carter Thomas LLC is the exclusive sales and marketing firm for Alex R. Thomas and Company of Ukiah, California – a fourth generation, family-owned and operated farming business that started in 1919, and is now the largest single-operation grower, packer and shipper of Bartlett pears in the United States. The "Lakewood" label is well-known throughout the western hemisphere as one of the finest brands of California Bartlett, Bosc, Comice, French Butter and Red Pears. The Thomases are the only California pear shipper to offer substantial, promotable and season-long availability from all three of California's major pear shipping districts: The Sacramento Delta ("River"), and Mendocino and Lake Counties ("Mountain"). They also are the ONLY California shipper to have on-site Controlled Atmosphere ("C.A.") cold storage facilities for up to 300,000 cartons, thereby offering their customers a freshly packed box of premium California pears from early July until at least late October, and many years, into mid-to-late December. No other California pear shipper offers its customers such a broad range of product availability and custom-tailored packing options as does Carter Thomas and Alex R. Thomas and Company. As a FRUIT CATEGORY LEADER, Carter Thomas offers high-quality pear varieties on a year-round basis. In 1998, at their customer's urging, Carter Thomas began their Winter Program, with imported Williams, Packhams, and Winter Bartletts from South America (Chile and Argentina). This outstanding fruit is available for shipment in the United States from late January through early to mid June, and possesses that same wonderful, buttery, dessert-like quality of the California Bartlett. Carter Thomas and the Thomas family conduct our businesses with a sense of pride, purpose and partnership to all of our customers and vendors. Everyday, we are determined to bring to your market the finest fruit in the world. Home Page  |  Contact Information Availability Calendar  |  Shipping Locations Pear Facts & Information  |  Career Opportunities Related Links and Businesses