Formerly Vacu-dry, SonomaWest sold its dehydrated fruit business in 2000 and 2001 in search of a candy apple future in real estate. The company now owns two former agricultural production properties (totaling some 90 acres) left over from its fruity past. The properties are located in Northern California's Sonoma County and are leased to multiple tenants for commercial use; Benziger Family Winery is one of its largest tenants. SonomaWest also holds an investment in telecommunications firm MetroPCS Communications. The Stapleton family, including CEO Craig Stapleton, acquired SonomaWest and took it private in 2011.