Februar y/March 2014
KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
17
Focus on consumer needs helps Grimmway Farms grow By Bob Borda
I
t all began in 1968 when brothers Rod and Bob Grimm set up a roadside produce stand in Southern California and planted the seed that would blossom into today’s Grimmway Farms. Today Grimmway Farms is North America’s leading producer of carrots and organic vegetables. Thanks to Kern County’s fertile soils and one of the best climates for vegetable production, Grimmway Farms supplies North America, South America, Europe and Asia with premium quality vegetables. Its longstanding passion to farm and do the right thing for its customers has led to the success of Grimmway Farms. The dedication to understanding customers’ needs and consumers’ wants is the ingredient that drives the company, which continually evaluates the marketplace to ensure that it is planting and cultivating the right vegetables at the right time to meet demands. This can be challenging at times as the organic vegetable demand continues to grow at a rate in excess of 20 percent. Grimmway was well ahead of this explosive growth. Recognizing the value of organic farming, Grimmway acquired Cal Organic Farms in 2001. Although Cal Organic was well established at the time, organic vegetables were primarily grown on a limited acreage basis. The quality of the product was less than its conventional counterpart, while commanding a hefty premium. Today, Grimmway Farms is the largest family-owned and operated organic farm with over 30,000 certified organic acres. This commitment to organic farming is helping to support the growth of organic vegetables, while revolutionizing their availability from the farmers markets to mainstream supermarkets. While growing in excess of 75 different
Photo courtesy of Grimmway Farms
The Asian carrot is one of the specialty items produced by Grimmway Farms.
Photo courtesy of Grimmway Farms
Grimmway Farms is promoting its healthy produce through “The Biggest Loser” television show.
Photo courtesy of Grimmway Farms
The colors of a rainbow can be seen in this display of Grimmway chards.
Photo courtesy of Grimmway Farmss
As part of its “green” initiative, Grimmway Farms has installed solar energy generating panels at its plants.
vegetables under its Cal-Organic brand, carrots still remain Grimmway Farms’ mainstay. From the advent of the baby carrot during the early 1990s, Grimmway Farms has been full steam ahead with all things carrots. The baby carrot revolutionized the carrot industry through its unique shape and ready-to-eat features, making it a great option for those looking for healthier snack alternatives. Today, as the baby carrot market matures, Grimmway Farms has been innovative in slicing carrots into many different functional ways. In fact, much of the growth that the company experienced this past year is being driven by consumers who are incorporating carrots into non-traditional eating occasions. Who would think that carrots could be mixed into your morning bowl of oatmeal? While consumers become more interested in fresh vegetables, Grimmway Farms’ focus is to connect with its consumers to support their healthy lifestyle interests. This past year the company partnered with “The Biggest Loser” to help convey its lifestyle messaging. Since the start of this promotion, Grimmway has built a strong community of individuals who turn to the company as a resource for recipes and lifestyle tips. Grimmway Farms also continues to grow green. The company strives to implement sustainable practices. The addition of a 1.1-megawatt solar farm at its Mountain View facility completes the construction of a twoyear project totaling 4.5 megawatts of clean solar energy. This solar project provides over 50 percent of the energy used to power four of our production facilities. Through its innovative growing techniques, understanding of its consumers, and stewardship of its rich farmland, Grimmway Farms will continue to focus on providing premium fresh vegetables. Bob Borda is vice president of marketing for Grimmway Farms.