Driscoll's

Last updated

Driscoll's, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry
  • Consumer products
  • Agricultural producers
Founded1904 as Banner Berry Farm's Brand
FoundersDick Driscoll, Ed Reiter
Headquarters Watsonville, California, USA
Key people
 CEO Miles Reiter, Chairman of the Board
Products Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
Website www.driscolls.com

Driscoll's is a California-based seller of fresh strawberries and other berries. It is a fourth-generation family business that has been in the Reiter and Driscoll families since the late 1800s. [1] In 2017, it controlled roughly one-third of the $6 billion U.S. berry market. [2] Headquartered in Watsonville, California, Driscoll's develops proprietary breeds of berries and then licenses them exclusively through approved growers. [2]

Contents

History

Early 1900s, foundation and the Banner Strawberry

The origin of Driscoll's dates back to the late 1800s. In 1849, a butcher from Alsace settled in California and eventually farmed near Watsonville. [2] The butcher's son, J.E. "Ed" Reiter and Reiter's brother-in-law, R. F. "Dick" Driscoll, began growing strawberries in the region. [3] It was the beginning of what has been referred to as "the California strawberry gold rush." [2]

During a meeting between Thomas Loftus, Driscoll, and Reiter, the three formed a partnership to protect and promote strawberries in the Sweetbriar community in northern Shasta County, California. [4] In 1902, the partners began promoting the strawberries in San Francisco markets by wrapping every crate in paper ribbon. The marketing strategy earned the strawberry variety the name "Banner" due to the large strawberry printed on the banner of each crate. [4]

Driscoll's was officially founded in 1904, known at the time as Banner Berry Farm's Brand. [4] They secretly kept Loftus as their supplier and also planted the Banner variety of berries exclusively. The company was the sole supplier of the Banner variety until Reiter formed an outside partnership in 1916 to market the Banner Berry plant. [4] After twenty-years in business, the Banner variety was infected by the spread of a viral infection and Driscoll's began breeding and releasing new varieties of berries. The new varieties were developed by Harold Thomas and Earl Goldsmith from the University of California, Berkeley. [2]

1940s and founding of Driscoll Strawberry Associates

In the early twentieth century, the strawberry market in the United States was dominated by Japanese immigrants. In 1942 during World War II, the industry nearly collapsed due to the Japanese being forced into internment camps. [2] During the war, Driscoll's was one of the few companies still planting strawberries. [2] Following World War II, Driscoll's recruited Japanese-American former prisoners upon their release from the internment camps to become sharecroppers for the company. [5] The company also began marketing under the name Driscoll Strawberry Associates. [6]

In 1944, Goldsmith and Thomas quit their university jobs and went to work for the newly formed Strawberry Institute of California after the university planned to abandon its breeding program. The company purchased seedlings and germplasm from the university that represented the life work of Goldsmith and Thomas. [2] The Strawberry Institute of California would later merge with Driscoll Strawberry Associates. [7]

In 1946, Goldsmith and Thomas crossed two university varieties which eventually became known as Z5A. The variety was known to withstand shipping and also fruited into late summer. The late harvest allowed Driscoll's to ship strawberries to retailers when other growers had none. [2] The berry was developed over a 10-year period and not released until 1957. [1] In 1966, the merger of Strawberry Institute and Driscoll Strawberry Associates was completed. [8]

1980s to present

Driscoll's raspberries in a clamshell package invented by the company in the 1990s. Clamshell Pack 002.jpg
Driscoll's raspberries in a clamshell package invented by the company in the 1990s.
Driscoll's sponsored Porsche 997 GT3 Cup competing in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge GT3 Cup (8108805695).jpg
Driscoll's sponsored Porsche 997 GT3 Cup competing in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge

Driscoll's sold mainly strawberries until the late 1980s. At that time it was approached with purchase offers from Dole, Del Monte, and Chiquita. [10] The company did not sell and instead decided to expand into other markets, including raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. [1] In the 1990s, Driscoll's created the clamshell, a one-piece container consisting of two halves joined by a hinge area which allows the structure to come together to close. [11]

In 2008 Driscoll's was one of the first two California growers to legally ship strawberries to the People's Republic of China under a program negotiated by then governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. [12] In 2008 the company was also named "business of the year" by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. [13] As of 2014, Driscoll's supports the Indigenous Interpreting+ program at Natividad Medical Center, Salinas, California, which provides medical interpreters for speakers of indigenous languages such as Zapotec, Mixteco, and Triqui. [14] In 2015, Driscoll's announced its involvement in "Connect the Drops," a campaign for changes to California water policy. [15]

In 2015, workers and union leaders at two independent growers for Driscoll's called for boycotts against the company. [16] The same year, Driscoll's announced the adoption of global Worker Welfare standards for their independent growers and public commitment to farmworker improvements with third-party audits and assessments. [17] [18] It also announced a pilot program with Fair Trade USA to bring to market Fair Trade Certified organic strawberries and organic raspberries. [19] COO Kevin Murphy was promoted to CEO in 2015, replacing Miles Reiter, who retained his position as chairman of the board. [20]

By 2016, Driscoll's began testing to develop a robot that would pick strawberries [21] and also went through an international rebranding. [22] The company also announced a name change from Driscoll's Strawberry Associates to Driscoll's, Inc. [23]

In June 2022, Driscoll's acquired Berry Gardens Limited, a sales, packaging and distribution entity of Berry Gardens Grower Cooperative. [24] In July 2022, Driscoll's formally agreed to acquire Haygrove Africa Trading, a Sub-Saharan blueberry supplier. [25] [26]

Products

Driscoll's grows berries in 21 countries and sells them in 48. [2] It contracts with various growers to produce strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, both red and yellow. The berries, available in either organic or non-organic varieties, are packed in the field as they are harvested. The company has fields in California, Florida, Mexico, [27] and Australia. [28] The company's organic berries are certified organic by the USDA. [29] Driscoll 60 percent of the organic strawberry market in the U.S. [10] Driscoll's claims to follow good agricultural practices for food safety, which are enforced at all contracting growers' farms, cooling and distribution facilities such as their Santa Maria, California, distribution facility. They also have a distribution facility in Dover, Florida. [30]

The company has a staff of 30 scientists "devoted solely to strawberries, manipulating evolution at nine research stations in Watsonville, Southern California, Florida, Spain, Mexico, and the U.K." [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berry</span> In the culinary sense, small edible fruit

A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the culinary sense are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, white currants, blackcurrants, and redcurrants. In Britain, soft fruit is a horticultural term for such fruits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watsonville, California</span> City in California, United States

Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, in the Monterey Bay Area of the Central Coast of California. The population was 52,590 at the 2020 census. Predominantly Latino and Democratic, Watsonville is a self-designated sanctuary city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutri-Grain</span> Breakfast foods made by Kelloggs

Nutri-Grain is a brand of breakfast cereal and breakfast bar made by Kellanova. In Australia and New Zealand Nutri-Grain is a breakfast cereal made from corn, oats, and wheat. The pieces are shaped like bricks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starburst (candy)</span> Chewy fruit-flavored candy/sweet

Starburst is the brand name of a box-shaped, fruit-flavoured soft taffy candy manufactured by The Wrigley Company, which is a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated. Starburst has many different varieties, such as Tropical, Sour, FaveREDs, Watermelon, Very Berry, Superfruit, Summer Blast and Original.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V8 (drink)</span> Brand of vegetable juice

V8 Vegetable Juice, sometimes simply referred to as V8, is a trademarked name for a number of beverage products sold worldwide that are made from eight vegetables, or a mixture of vegetables and fruits. Since 1948, the brand has been owned by the Campbell Soup Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaiian Punch</span> Fruit punch brand

Hawaiian Punch is an American brand of fruit punch currently manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper, originally invented in 1934 by A.W. Leo, Tom Yeats, and Ralph Harrison as a topping for ice cream. It was started from an original syrup flavor called Leo's Hawaiian Punch, containing orange, pineapple, passion fruit, guava and papaya, and is currently offering 14 different flavors since 2020. Though earlier versions contained 10% fruit juice, the drink is currently made with 3% fruit juice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry</span> Edible fruit

The garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria, collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness. It is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as jam, juice, pies, ice cream, milkshakes, and chocolates. Artificial strawberry flavorings and aromas are also widely used in products such as candy, soap, lip gloss, perfume, and many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hi-C</span> Fruit juice-flavored soft drink

Hi-C is an American fruit juice-flavored drink made by the Minute Maid division of The Coca-Cola Company. It was created by Niles Foster in 1946 and released in 1947. The sole original flavor was orange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polar Beverages</span> Soft drink company

Polar Beverages is a soft drink company based in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is a manufacturer and distributor of sparkling fruit beverages, seltzer, ginger ale, drink mixers, and spring water to customers in the United States. It is the largest independent soft-drink bottler in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Costa Group</span> Australian horticultural company

Costa Group is Australia's largest horticultural company and a major supplier of produce to food retailers. The company had an IPO in 2015 and was officially listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

Joseph Miles Reiter is an American farmer and entrepreneur, and the outgoing CEO of Driscoll's, Inc., a global agribusiness specializing in fresh year-round berry production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tymbark (company)</span>

Tymbark SA, is a Polish fruit- juice beverage company. Its products are mainly available in all of 16 Polish voivodeships as well as in most of Germany. Tymbark is also a fruit and vegetable processing plant. Tymbark is a major producer of fruit and vegetable juices as well as jams, marmalades and fruit wines. In 1999, the company became part of Grupa Maspex Wadowice. The Tymbark brand was listed as Poland's 15th most popular brand in a survey by Wprost magazine. It is known as Topjoy in Hungary or Relax in Czechia and Slovakia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodyarmor SuperDrink</span> American sports drink owned by The Coca-Cola Company

Bodyarmor SuperDrink is an American sports drink brand owned by The Coca-Cola Company. Products launched under the brand include: Sports, "Lyte" Sports, "Edge Sports," and "SportWater".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of strawberries</span>

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to strawberries:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahabaleshwar strawberry</span> Edible fruit cultivar

Mahabaleshwar strawberry is a strawberry grown in the hilly slopes of Mahabaleshwar, which accounts for about 85 percent of the total strawberry produced in India. Strawberry, along with raspberry, mulberry and gooseberry, is produced on a large scale in and around Mahabaleshwar. Mahabaleshwar strawberry obtained the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2010.

Banner was a variety of strawberry that grew in the northwestern United States in the early 1900s. The variety was originally named "Sweet Briar" by Thomas J. Loftus, who discovered the berry on his ranch just north of Redding, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wish Farms</span>

Wish Farms is a Plant City, Florida based supplier of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The company was established in 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian production of berries</span>

Berry-growing in Canada is mostly confined to its rainiest areas, although a lesser amount is grown elsewhere. Most berries are grown in southwest British Columbia, except lowbush blueberry which is almost only grown in The Maritimes. Significant amounts of strawberries are grown in southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the southern part of the Maritimes, and smaller amounts around urban areas of the Prairies. Cranberry production has recently increased in BC and the east and as of 2016 is the second most exported berry by value at CAN$ 88,469,000. Blueberry is the most important, indeed top among all fruits in the country, by – cultivated area, 79,515 hectares – farm gate value, CAN$ 261,532,000 – and export value, CAN$ 422,441,000. Grape is third by – cultivated area, 12,480 hectares – and farm gate, CAN$ 151,093,000. Cherry is third in export value at CAN$ 82,841,000

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry cultivation in California</span>

Strawberries in the United States are almost entirely grown in California – 86% of fresh and 98% of frozen in 2017 – with Florida a distant second. Of that 30.0% was from Monterey, 28.6% from Ventura, 20.0% from Santa Barbara, 10.0% from San Luis Obispo, and 9.2% from Santa Cruz. The Watsonville/Salinas strawberry zone in Santa Cruz/Monterey, and the Oxnard zone in Ventura, contribute heavily to those concentrations.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Driscoll's Aims to Hook the Berry-Buying Shopper". The New York Times . September 6, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Goodyear, Dana (August 14, 2017). "Strawberry Valley". The New Yorker . Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  3. ↑ Reichl, Ruth (2018). The Best American Food Writing 2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN   978-1-328-66308-5.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Dottie (March 3, 2011). "Travelin' in Time: Those sweet Sweetbriar strawberries of long ago". Redding Record Searchlight . Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Driscoll's Growers Gave Former Interned Japanese Americans a Start". NikkeiWest. 2011. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ Eddy, David (October 26, 2017). "Grower Sees Challenges, Opportunities in Booming Organic Berry Market". Growing Produce. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ Bailey, Pat (May 9, 2016). "Strawberry Breeding Program Backgrounder: A Historical Timeline". UC Davis.
  8. ↑ In Memoriam. Berkeley, CA: University of California. 1987. p. 115.
  9. ↑ Eve Thompson (May 9, 2012). "The zen of driving a race car". Mt. Shasta Herald.
  10. 1 2 Goodyear, Dana (August 14, 2017). "How Driscoll's Reinvented the Strawberry". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ Lawrence, Dune (July 29, 2015). "How Driscoll's Is Hacking the Strawberry of the Future". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  12. ↑ "California strawberries clear Olympic hurdle". North County Times. August 6, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Pajaro Valley chamber names man and woman of the year". Santa Cruz Sentinel. December 5, 2008.
  14. ↑ "Indigenous Interpreting+" . Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ Potter, Lisa Marie (March 6, 2015). "Driscoll's leading charge for change in water policies". The Salinas Californian .
  16. ↑ Kaye, Leon (April 7, 2015). "Farmworkers' Union Calls for Boycott Against Driscoll's". www.triplepundit.com. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Driscoll's Applies Fresh Approach to Ag Labor Relations". Fresh Fruit Portal . February 3, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Driscoll's Underscores Commitment to Worker Welfare". Fresh Plaza . February 2016.
  19. ↑ Hornick, Mike. "Driscoll's to expand Fair Trade berry program". The Packer.
  20. ↑ Leon, Melissa De (March 31, 2015). "Current Driscoll's President Kevin Murphy is the Company's New CEO".
  21. ↑ Shanker, Deena (November 21, 2016). "The Berry of the Future Is Fed a Specialized Diet and Picked by a Robot". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  22. ↑ Joseph, Jim (October 13, 2016). "This Once-Per-Century Rebranding Is a Case Study In Marketing Done Right". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  23. ↑ Hillen, Laura (November 2, 2016). "Driscoll's Strawberry Associates, Inc. Announces Name Change to Driscoll's, Inc". And Now U Know. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Driscoll's acquires Berry Gardens Limited". FreshFruitPortal.com. June 27, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Driscoll's acquires Haygrove Africa". FreshFruitPortal.com. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  26. ↑ Knowles2022-07-14T11:37:00+01:00, Mike. "Driscoll's to acquire Haygrove Africa". Fruitnet. Retrieved July 15, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ↑ "Strawberry fields forever: Acres of sweeet nostalgia at Driscoll berry factory". Lodi News-Sentinel. July 5, 2008.
  28. ↑ "Coast Lines: March 27, 2013: PV water agency seeks new director". Santa Cruz Sentinel. March 26, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Learn More About Our Organic Berries". driscolls.com. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Food Safety". driscolls.com. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  31. ↑ Lawrence, Dune (June 29, 2015). "How Driscoll's Is Hacking the Strawberry of the Future". Bloomberg.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.