The company founded by his father remembers the leader who built trade relationships across four continents
William H. Kopke Jr Inc. has released a tribute to Peter Kopke Sr, who died on 5 August at the age of 89.
Kopke Sr spent more than seven decades shaping the fruit industry. As the former head of William H. Kopke Jr, the company founded by his father in 1937, he pioneered counter-seasonal supply chains and transformed fresh fruit consumption habits in the US.
He joined the company full-time in 1958 after graduating from Brown University and made his first trip to Chile in 1964.
“Peter’s hustle brought momentum to every aspect of the business,” the company said. “In 1969, he brought the first Australian Packham pears and Bosc pears into the US. He also established the Port of Philadelphia as the company’s main distribution hub.”
Additionally, Peter pioneered large-scale imports of airfreighted fruit, well before it became a standard practice for the rest of the industry.
Under his leadership, William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. grew to be the leading importer of Chilean fruit into the US, as well as a top importer of produce from Peru, Argentina, South Africa and Mexico, along with various other countries.
From 2015 to 2026, Peter led the company through various investments that added tremendous value to the business, including marketing, farming and refrigerated packing and distribution centres.
The Chilean-American Chamber of Commerce awawrded him the Friend of Chile Award in 2011 when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for more than five decades of building the Chilean grape trade in the US. His father William H. Kopke Jr, was honoured with the first Friend of Chile award in 1998, and his son, Peter Kopke Jr, received the Friend of Chile Award in 2024.
Peter’s father, William H. Kopke Jr, said “family is everything”, and the company he started remains a family-owned business today. Peter Kopke Jr joined the company in 1996, followed by his brothers William in 2002 and David in 2005. Together, they became the third generation of Kopke. The company reached its fourth generation in 2019, when Luna Kopke joined the operations department. Peter continued to work every day until his passing, staying engaged and active in the day-to-day business even when illness prevented him from coming to the office.
In a statement, the Kopke family said, “Peter will be remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather – steadfast in his care for those closest to him and deeply cherished in return. Throughout his life, he carried himself with a quiet honesty that earned trust and respect, and a hard-working spirit that showed in the constancy with which he met each day and each responsibility.
“He was a man who made everyone feel welcome. His vivacious spirit encouraged those around him to live, learn, and explore, as he did. He lived a life of kindness, empathy, generosity, excellence, hard work, and love. He taught without teaching, having a subtle way of making those around him want to be better and feel better“.
A remembrance service was held on Sunday 16 August in Deer Park, New York.
