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Dell's Maraschino Cherries, the cherry supplier for chains including Chick-fil-A, TGI Fridays and Red Lobster, was revealed to be involved in an underground drug operation, reports the New York Daily News. In a tragic twist of events that feels ripped from that pages of an HBO script, longtime owner Arthur Mondella committed suicide on Tuesday after police discovered evidence of marijuana at the cherry factory.
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Police say they had originally been at the cherry plant to investigate the factory's environmental impact on the surrounding area. However, after Mondella's death, police reportedly found 80 pounds of marijuana and an immense amount of cash in the factory. Entering a secret entrance leading underneath the warehouse, sources told the Daily News that police additionally discovered a marijuana-growing operation and pricey vehicles including a Porsche, a Rolls-Royce and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Dell's Maraschino Cherries was founded in 1948 by Mondella's grandfather, Arthur Mondella Sr., and his father, Ralph Mondella. The company, which processes more than 14 million pounds of cherries a year, recently completed an identity revamp in 2014, which included modernizing the logo and updating its manufacturing site.
Dell's Maraschino Cherries Factory
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FAQs
Dell's Maraschino Cherries, the cherry supplier for chains including Chick-fil-A, TGI Fridays and Red Lobster, was revealed to be involved in an underground drug operation, reports the New York Daily News.
Are Chick-fil-A cherries real? ›
Dell's Maraschino Cherries, which was established in 1948, produces co*cktail cherries for bars and restaurants across the country, including big name brands like TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, Buffalo Wild Wings, Casears Entertainment, Steak 'n Shake, Chick-fil-A, and Checkers.
Is Chick-fil-A chicken real or processed? ›
Our chicken is raised in barns (not cages), on farms in the United States, in accordance with our Animal Wellbeing Standards, and with No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine (NAIHM). * No artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any poultry in the United States.
Which state is Chick-fil-A most popular? ›
These restaurants are located in 50 states and territories and 1300 cities. The state with the most Chick-Fil-A locations is Texas, with 450 restaurants. This is about 16% of all Chick-Fil-A locations in the United States.
Are Chick-fil-A eggs real? ›
Chick-fil-A grills its chicken in-house in some locations, which almost no fast-food restaurant does, but it's not cracking eggs. Any of the breakfast items that contain egg are made from whole eggs, water, and a few other ingredients including natural butter-type flavor, xanthan gum, citric acid, and annatto.
Is Chick-fil-A secret menu real? ›
While you may have seen your friends concocting their own recipes from Chick-fil-A® menu items, our restaurants do not have a secret menu.
Is Chick-fil-A salad real? ›
Enjoy a Market Salad prepared fresh daily. Filled with bright flavors and fresh greens, this salad includes sliced grilled chicken breast, roasted almonds, blue cheese, and a mix of red and green apples, strawberries, and blueberries. Perfect for an afternoon snack or light lunch in warmer weather.
Who is the largest producer of cherries in the US? ›
Washington led the nation in sweet cherry production (443,640 tons), followed by California (317,736 tons) and Oregon (58,765 tons) (NASS 2022).
Where does the US import cherries from? ›
Regarding imports, Chile was the largest supplier from the southern hemisphere of fresh cherries in the United States, with 2.8 million boxes, also with a 22% decrease for said country.
Where do most cherries in the US come from? ›
Today, the U. S. cherry industry produces more than 650 million pounds of tart and sweet cherries each year. Much of the cherry production is concentrated in Michigan and the Northwest. Michigan grows about 75 percent of the tart cherry crop. Oregon and Washington harvest about 60 percent of the sweet cherry crop.
Originally brought to the United States by English colonists in the early 1600s, Spanish missionaries brought cherries west to California. Washington, Oregon, and California are the country's top growing regions, accounting for 90% of U.S. production.
