For 100 years, Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck has been an institution in Monmouth County. This week, the Monmouth County Freeholders and local officials came together to celebrate the milestone.

“It is a privilege to be in such a wonderful establishment that has gone statewide, yet stayed truly Monmouth County,” Freeholder Director John P. Curley said in a news release.

Last year, Delicious Orchards sold 1.2 million doughnuts and more than 200,000 pies, all made from scratch, staying as true to the original recipe as possible. To keep pace with demand, they bought an apple-peeling machine that peels a bushel of apples per minute, according to owner Bill McDonald.

Freeholder Thomas Arnone said Delicious Orchards employs 250 people, many of whom are second and third generation Monmouth County natives.

Since the beginning, Delicious Orchards has been in the produce business. It began as a wholesale store, run by the Barclay family with an on site apple orchard. But in the 1950’s, the wholesale market declined and the family decided to set up a roadside stand on what is now County Road 537.

As the retail business grew, so did what the store offered. Baked goods were introduced, and Janet Barclay became known for her homemade apple pies, a recipe Delicious Orchards still uses today.

The building that houses the operation today was bought in the 1960’s. After a few additions to accommodate the expanding business, the grounds became what it is today.

The Barclay’s sold the business to their management team, Tom Gesualdo, Bill McDonald and Frank McMahon in 1977. Today, Bill McDonald’s family runs the business.