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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Grimmway Still Growing Strong After 50 Years
BY CHRIS BURT
Perhaps, no other company celebrating 50 years in the produce industry has this kind of story to tell — where, during its meteoric
rise, it sustained two devastating losses and still managed to become a world leader in carrot and organic vegetable production. Where the roots of initial success trace back to two brothers, whose vision, fortitude and perseverance still resonate years later among those who carry on their legacy in Bakers eld, CA, and beyond.
Rod and Bob Grimm forged the beginnings of Grimmway Farms from a roadside corn stand in Orange County in the early 1960s. They in- corporated in 1969 and shifted operations to growing-friendly Kern County in 1981 ... and business really took off. When it popularized baby carrots and acquired the Bunny-Luv brand in 1995, it sailed past competitors and blazed a trail as a leader in the category.
Then tragedy struck. Twice.
In 1998, Rod died from cancer at age 51. Eight years later, Bob died of a heart attack at age 54. Withstanding the losses of its two founders, Grimmway leaned on family members, includ- ing nephew Jeff Meger, and a standout hire named Jeff Huckaby, who had been at Bolthouse Farms. The results since have been astonishing — Grimmway Farms has grown and now offers more than 135 products, including 65 organic crops, and grows in seven states. Its Grimmway, Bunny-Luv and Cal-Organic brands are in just
about every market in the United States.
“Our strong faith gave us the strength to cope with tragedy, but the company’s success also has a lot to do with the fact that Rod and Bob surrounded themselves with a strong lead- ership team that held a devout respect for that foundation of faith,” says Barbara Grimm Mar- shall, Rod’s wife. “That respect for their legacy remains today, and it’s the reason the Grimmway
team has led us to even greater success.” Huckaby is now president of the company,
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRIMMWAY FARMS
(Top) Rod Grimm in the eld with daugh- ters Catie and Melissa. Bob and Rod (mid- dle) pose in a refrigerated warehouse and at Grimmway’s California facility (bottom).
establishing a team rooted in family values. They believed in conducting business with integrity, providing good value, respecting natural resources and caring for their customers and employees.”
Barbara says that shift to Kern County “was by far the most pivotal move in the early stages of the business. ... Everything began falling into place.” Carrots, as you can see from the photos here, “are the cornerstone of our business,” she says. Today, Grimmway harvests more than 10 million pounds of carrots per day on more than 40,000-acres.
Kari (Grimm) Anderson, Bob’s wife, agrees that their vision to see the potential in carrots and in Bakers eld helped cement Grimmway’s future.
“They started out with a dream, worked hard and took risks in Bakers eld,” she says. “Our car- rots, as well as many other agricultural items, show that Bakers eld is an abundant agricultural area and provides nutritional food for the nation and many countries in the world. Bob and Rod would truly be amazed at how the company has grown.”
Much of that growth can be attributed to Kari, Barbara and the next generation of Grimms, the eight children who help guide the vision for the company: Rod’s children — Melissa, Catie and Bry- an; and Bob’s kids — Brandon, Kellie, Brett, Chase and David.
Brandon Grimm, a 2019 Produce Business 40-un- der-Forty award winner, says a family- rst mentali- ty and a genuine care for the people they deal with and the products they deliver have been company hallmarks. At its annual picnic that hosted some 10,000 employees and guests earlier this year, Grimmway rewarded 56 high school seniors as part of the Rod and Bob Grimm Memorial Schol- arship Program. Since its inception, the company has donated more than $1.7 million to deserving students.
“Grimmway has always been a family farming company, and we attribute our success to the em- ployees who serve our customers every day,” says Brandon. “We empower our employees to give back to the community that has played such a large role in our company’s success.”
which grows and ships a rainbow of vegetables — from fresh to frozen, from retail to foodservice — including carrots, radishes, chard, ngerling potatoes and even carrot chips. It continues to expand, recently acquiring Generation Farms in Lake Park, Georgia. He credits the Brothers Grimm for helping instill strong values in Grimmway’s workforce and carving a path of success to follow.
“While Rod and Bob aren’t here to see the company reach this [50th] milestone, we work hard to continue their legacy every day,” says Huckaby, who also serves as a member of the USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. “When Rod and Bob started the business, they set us up for long-term success by
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That success story has been promoted and savored by Grim- mway’s team as part of the company’s golden anniversary cam- paign. “Family-Owned for 50 Years and Growing,” the motto that has embodied this celebration through the year, shows Grimmway isn’t just looking back. It has its sights, as always, on opportunities ahead.
“Grimmway has a bright future of continuing to supply the nation with healthy, high-quality produce,” says Brandon. “We look forward to welcoming more of the second generation of our family into the company to build upon the legacy Rod and Bob began.” pb