As part of its strategic growth plan, San Miguel Produce Inc. announced key changes to its business operations to increase efficiency, ensure supply year-round and promote the long-term sustainability of the company.
After over 43 years of farming in Ventura County, CA, the company will significantly reduce its growing footprint and will instead partner with growers to provide year-round supply for its processing operation. While San Miguel Produce will be partnering with major growers across the country, it strives to support local agriculture and family farms at home and beyond.
Within Ventura County, the company is working with smaller farmers to help develop processes and lend its expertise to elevate these farmer’s food-safety and farming programs. In addition, it has partnered with cooperatives who are bringing together a variety of family farmers across North America to provide quality greens year-round. This diversity in growing regions and farmers will ensure consistent, year-round supply in the event of weather, natural disaster or seasonal insect pressure.
“The farming and legislative landscape in Ventura County has changed significantly over the past few years,” said Roy Nishimori, president and CEO of San Miguel Produce. “For more than four decades, we successfully focused on the Ventura County growing region however, with crop, weather and regulation changes in this farming region, this business model is no longer sustainable for consistent, year-round quality supply. This next step in our strategic plan will allow us to continue to grow and innovate in new areas of the industry.”
For the past year, San Miguel Produce has utilized its old headquarter office and processing facility for its farming and warehousing needs. In 2020, all remaining operations will move to the company’s new 85,000-square-foot facility where it has been operating out of since early 2019.
“San Miguel is taking the next strategic steps in its evolution to strengthen its ability to better serve customers, improve operational efficiency and continue to innovate in the dark leafy greens category,” said John Killeen, vice president of sales and general manager of San Miguel Produce. “These operational improvements only amplify the superior quality, service and food safety we have built a reputation for over the past 43 years.”
San Miguel Produce said it looks forward to developing innovation and fine tune its processing facility, but at its core will remain a family-run operation dedicated to providing healthy and convenient dark leafy greens for every lifestyle.
