As many of our members can relate, for Yraceburu, agriculture has always been more than a career—it’s a way of life. Born in California’s Central Valley, he grew up on his family’s farm in the small town of Kerman—just west of Fresno—where they grew almonds and produced raisins. “I started doing daily chores at a very early age,” Yraceburu said with a laugh. “It was hard, manual labor: picking, pruning, weeding. I got paid to drive the tractor and do various jobs on the farm, and I loved it.” It was this love of farming that inspired Yraceburu to get a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Fresno State. He had always wanted to be a farmer, and with this education, he could now pursue that dream—or so he thought. “For those who remember, the ‘80s were a very difficult time for agriculture, and unfortunately, there were just very few ag jobs available,” Yraceburu recounted. “I had received offers from banks, but the whole idea of being inside an office and wearing a suit was not appealing.” With no other prospects, and some encouragement from his father (“Just take the job for a couple of years, son”), he accepted a job with Farm Credit. That multi-year plan turned into a 30-year career in banking, with Yraceburu eventually becoming the Executive Vice President and head of the National Food and Agribusiness Division for Wells Fargo. He said his time at Wells Fargo gave him a unique opportunity to see the way different companies approached business—from grain growers in the Midwest to citrus growers in Texas. “You could have two companies in the same exact industry taking completely different approaches: one laser-focused on being the lowest-cost producer, the other investing in brand development to earn a premium. Learning these different thought processes was invaluable.”
It was during this period when he first worked closely with and began advising Stewart Resnick, Chairman, President and Co- owner of The Wonderful Company (TWC). Yraceburu was deeply involved in the financing of many of the acquisitions that helped define them, including early citrus and pistachio acreage, FIJI Water and JUSTIN Vineyards. Over time, the two got to know each other well. Their successful, long-standing relationship ultimately led Yraceburu to a major life decision in 2015, when Mr. Resnick personally offered him a position with TWC. Leaving an established career in finance was no small decision. But this offer reignited a dream he hadn’t revisited in decades—to return to agriculture. In truth, farming had never been far from his life. Even during his years at Wells Fargo, Yraceburu and his wife, Gayle, had quietly maintained their ties to the land, acquiring several small farms that produced almonds and grapes for wine and raisins—the same crops his family once grew. “It’s very small-scale, but we’ve accumulated a few hundred acres of our own,” he said. “It’s not enough to sustain any of us. Maybe it’s a questionable hobby—it’s expensive and laborious. But I wanted to stay close to my family roots in farming.” Before taking the leap into ag full-time, Yraceburu turned to Gayle for advice. Her response was simple but decisive: “You grew up wanting to be a farmer. You’re probably never going to get a better opportunity if you don’t take this one.” Taking his wife’s advice and trusting his instincts, Yraceburu accepted the offer to join TWC as President of Wonderful Orchards. Today, he oversees nearly 160,000 acres of farmland across California—from Bakersfield up to Madera County, and from the Sierra Foothills out to Paso Robles. At the height of harvest season, his team can grow to more than 5,000 people. Beyond the orchards, Yraceburu also manages several other divisions within the company. There’s Wonderful Bees, America’s largest beekeeping operation with more than 62,000 hives;
22 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com January – March 2026
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