Bee Sweet also touts its one-stop shop as a major selling point. “All our customers can also conveniently pick up our varieties at one central location off California Highway 99 and can rely on our sales team for timely information regarding field and shipping updates,” Bienvenue reported. She noted that one of the company’s newest initiatives is the recent revamping of its label to give it a more modernized feel. With decorative citrus slices displayed on the packaging of each variety and a dashed lined that draws the eye to the company logo, the label was strategically designed to educate shoppers about the varieties in each package, and to remind customers about Bee Sweet’s ability to grow, pack and ship numerous varieties year-round.
Another initiative is the expansion of the packing facility in Fowler, to include a state-of-the-art mandarin line. At more than 200,000 square feet, this new facility will include best-in-class pre-sort and pack lines, cold storage and a shipping dock. As Bee Sweet looks down the road, the company expects the California citrus crop to maintain its current role in the industry with mandarins continuing to gain sales. “While we don’t anticipate too much changing, we do believe that the mandarin variety will continue to grow as a class, domestically,” Bienvenue said. “Over the last few years, the popularity of mandarins has skyrocketed, and we anticipate that trend to continue as parents continue to invest in the health of their families.” Of course, like other California farmers, Bee Sweet must contend with several challenges, but the citrus producer does so with a sense that the glass is half full. “Finding skilled, experienced labor remains a challenge, as well as adhering to constant changes to laws and regulations,” she said. “Nonetheless, we always adapt and remain optimistic for the future.” As a member of Western Growers for much of those three-plus decades, Bee Sweet appreciates the organization’s commitment to agriculture. “Western Growers is a premier industry organization, and we are proud to be a member,” Bienvenue said. “The amount of professional resources that are available for members is outstanding, and we utilize many of them regularly.”
WESTERN GROWERS OFFICERS – 2022 ALBERT KECK, Chair STUART WOOLF, Vice Chair NEILL CALLIS, Treasurer DON CAMERON, Executive Secretary DAVE PUGLIA, President & CEO DIRECTORS – 2022 GEORGE J. ADAM Innovative Produce, Santa Maria, California ALEXANDRA ALLEN Main Street Produce, Santa Maria, California KEVIN S. ANDREW Illume Agriculture, Bakersfield, California ROBERT K. BARKLEY Barkley Ag Enterprises LLP, Yuma, Arizona STEPHEN J. BARNARD Mission Produce, Inc., Oxnard, California BARDIN E. BENGARD Bengard Ranch, Salinas, California LOREN BOOTH Booth Ranches, Orange Cove, California GEORGE BOSKOVICH III Boskovich Farms, Oxnard, California RODNEY BRAGA Braga Ranch, Soledad, California NEILL CALLIS Turlock Fruit Company, Turlock, California DON CAMERON Terranova Ranch, Inc., Helm, California EDWIN A. CAMP D. M. Camp & Sons, Bakersfield, California CAROL CHANDLER Chandler Farms LP, Selma, California LAWRENCE W. COX Lawrence Cox Ranches, Brawley, California STEPHEN F. DANNA Danna Farms, Inc., Yuba City, California JOHN C. D’ARRIGO D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California, Salinas, California THOMAS DEARDORFF II Deardorff Family Farms, Oxnard, California SAMUEL D. DUDA Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., Salinas, California CATHERINE A. FANUCCHI Tri-Fanucchi Farms Inc., Bakersfield, California DAVID L. GILL Rio Farms, King City, California BRANDON A. GRIMM Grimmway Farms, Arvin, California JOHN JACKSON Beachside Produce, LLC, Nipomo, California A. G. KAWAMURA Orange County Produce, LLC, Fullerton, California ALBERT KECK Hadley Date Gardens, Thermal, California J.P. LABRUCHERIE LaBrucherie Produce, El Centro, California FRANK MACONACHY Ramsay Highlander, Inc., Gonzales, California JOHN S. MANFRE Frank Capurro and Son, Moss Landing, California STEPHEN MARTORI III Martori Farms, Scottsdale, Arizona HAROLD MCCLARTY HMC Farms, Kingsburg, California TOM MULHOLLAND Mulholland Citrus, Orange Cove, California ALEXANDER T. MULLER Pasquinelli Produce Co., Yuma, Arizona DOMINIC J. MUZZI, JR. Muzzi Family Farms, LLC, Moss Landing, California THOMAS M. NUNES The Nunes Company, Inc., Salinas, California STEPHEN F. PATRICIO Westside Produce, Firebaugh, California JOHN POWELL JR. Peter Rabbit Farms, Coachella, California RON RATTO Ratto Bros. Inc., Modesto, California CRAIG A. READE Bonipak Produce, Inc., Santa Maria, California ERIC T. REITER Reiter Affiliated Companies, Oxnard, California JOSEPH A. RODRIGUEZ The Growers Company, Inc., Somerton, Arizona WILL ROUSSEAU Rousseau Farming Company, Tolleson, Arizona RYAN TALLEY Talley Farms, Arroyo Grande, California BRUCE C. TAYLOR Taylor Farms California, Salinas, California MIKE WAY Prime Time International, Coachella, California STUART WOOLF Woolf Farming & Processing, Fresno, California ROB YRACEBURU Wonderful Orchards, Shafter, California
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2022
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Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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