a hiatus, see you in six months.’ That’s what I always felt we should be doing in table grapes.” In the split, Andrew was able to retain a majority of Illume’s acreage, giving them a solid growing foundation in Bakersfield, Calif. They are supplemented with two other growing regions: one in Mexico, giving them an early seasonal advantage, and they’re currently extending into South America, bridging the gap period between the winter and spring months. “We’re in the process of prepping land in Northern Peru, and we will start planting in August this year,” said Andrew. “We now have a 52-week program where we control the growing, production and packing. Retailers don’t have to talk to several different exporters to get their product. They can come to us as a sort of one-stop shop.” That long-term vision also depends heavily on solving one of agriculture’s most pressing issues: labor. Andrew said while technology has come a long way in the table grape industry, it still has a ways to go before any long-term mechanization could be implemented. While other facets of the agriculture industry are adapting well to the agtech labor revolution, implementing AI harvesters and automation systems, table grapes do not have that same flexibility, continuing to rely heavily on skilled hand labor throughout the growing and harvest process. “It’s a stressful deal because it’s super labor intensive and everything on table grapes is cosmetic,” said Andrew. “I’ve seen robots that can identify and pick grape bunches, but they can’t pick them efficiently or clean them properly. Especially when you compare that to what skilled field crews can do by hand, it’s clear the technology just isn’t there yet.” Andrew says there are future concerns about losing valuable employees. While the harvesting crews have been hardworking and loyal, many of them are starting to retire, and this robust workforce won’t last forever. “This is something we’ve been discussing at the Table Grape Commission,” said Andrew. “We’re not trying to solve how to replace jobs, but to ensure the industry can rely on someone or something that can do it one day to avoid a worker shortage,” said Andrew. Until then, Andrew says he will be waiting enthusiastically for technological advances to continue evolving alongside the industry. Despite the challenges facing labor, supply chains and production, he remains optimistic about the future of agriculture and the people who continue to drive it forward. With over four decades of experience in farming, marketing, water leadership and industry advocacy, Andrew says he couldn’t be more grateful for his past or more invigorated for the future. “God, how fortunate am I to be a part of this industry and the community,” said Andrew. “It’s truly filled with the best people. And I’m passionate about the work. It’s as much science as it is art; it’s a mix of both, and I love it.” From his childhood working on Arizona ranches to helping shape the future of the table grape industry, Andrew’s career has been defined by a willingness to evolve while staying grounded in agriculture’s core values. Decades into his career, that same passion continues to drive both his leadership and his vision for the industry’s future.
years later, in 1989, he graduated from the California Agricultural Leadership Program. Since then, he’s gone on to hold several key leadership positions, including chairman of the board for the California Association of Wine Grape Growers and of the Wine Grape Inspection Advisory Committee. He’s a founding member of the South San Joaquin Grape Growers Association and currently serves as president of the North Kern Water Storage District board of directors, just to name a few. He’s also been a longstanding figurehead at Western Growers, being elected to the Board of Directors in 1999, where he still serves today, and held the Chair position in 2009. “I don’t think anyone truly represents all of the agriculture industry like Western Growers does,” Andrew said. “What I love about Western Growers is being surrounded by industry leaders; sharp people that grow a diversity of crops. You always get the sense that everybody’s pulling in the same direction for the good of the overall industry, not just for their segment of it.” In 2014, Andrew started Illume Ag with a partner who was “as passionate about almonds as I am about table grapes.” As time went on, the company seemed to be diverging in two different directions, prompting the two to break away to allow them to focus on their individual priorities. Earlier this year, Andrew began the next chapter in his career as Chief Executive Officer at Vista Vineyards, founded with the goal of rethinking the North American table grape supply model. “For the last 15, 20 years, I’ve always felt there is a necessity for a year-round program, and that is not the way this industry has been,” said Andrew. Typically, the table grape industry in California has a limited seasonal window, Andrew explained. It starts in the Coachella Valley in May and June, San Joaquin in July, they wrap up in mid- November, then they “go dark.” “Salinas-based vegetable companies harvest and sell product 365 days a year. They don’t say to the retailer, ‘We’re going to take “What I love about Western Growers is being surrounded by industry leaders; sharp people that grow a diversity of crops. You always get the sense that everybody's pulling in the same direction for the good of the overall industry, not just for their segment of it.”
41 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July – September 2026
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