After 15 years, Aaron Barcellos the Chairman of the Tomato Products Wellness Council is stepping down. We thank him for all of his efforts on behalf of the whole USA tomato products industry. We have dealt with a number of highs and lows and the state of the TPWC is bigger and stronger than ever. A big part of that is thanks to Aaron and our whole board of voluntary members that do the heavy lifting for the whole industry. Without this collaborative effort, the USA tomato products industry would not be as strong as it is today.
Aaron is a partner with his family farming operation A-Bar Ag Enterprises in Firebaugh California, and is a fourth-generation farmer. His family started in Dairy but now his farm produces crops, including pistachios, cotton, olives, pomegranates, and (his favorite) tomatoes. He’s been featured on all the major networks for his insight into the long-standing California drought, and he was featured in a podcast during the lockdown about what it meant for farmers. He’s also leading the next generation of farmers forward and Tomato Wellness has featured his nephew Jake several times for field updates.
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, California Tomato Growers Association. We are proud to have this company as part of the Tomato Wellness Family.
The California Tomato Growers Association has been supporting growers and the processing tomato industry since 1947 to ensure the stability, viability, and prosperity of the processed tomato industry. The CTGA is involved in every phase of the state’s processing tomato industry, from the economics of establishing a fair price to involvement with international trade, technological advances, public policy advocacy, and assisting growers with all aspects of their production and marketing. They recognize that after the growers’ hard work and expense of raising a crop, fair grading is essential. For this reason, the CTGA worked to form the California Processing Tomato Advisory Board and continues to be involved in this service today.
They also understand that scientific and technological discoveries allow growers to prosper in the highly competitive global tomato business. Therefore, in conjunction with the California Tomato Research Institute and private and public agencies, the CTGA has supported and assisted with a broad range of tomato-related research efforts. This research gives the grower the edge to produce a tomato crop second to none. Finally, their advocacy work for policies like the Bracero Farm Worker Program, which enables workers from Mexico to work here in the United States to support their families through a work permit, really sets them apart when it comes to assisting all aspects of the tomato processing industry. It helps to know that with the support of an organization such as this, the industry remains prosperous, the growers are taken care of, and the quality of the product is ensured.
We absolutely admire the CTGA and their passion for their members, industry, and products. Join us in honoring an exceptional organization.
To show your appreciation, order extra red sauce on your pasta or pizza tonight or try one of their tomato products in some of our favorite recipes!
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, Ingomar Packing Company. We are proud to have this company as part of the Tomato Wellness Family and read to the end to see how in one of the worst droughts California has ever seen, they have figured out how to grow their own water!
Ingomar Packing Company is known as a premium supplier of industrial tomato products. Operating out of Los Banos, CA, they now have two processing facilities to ensure the consistency in producing high quality tomato products. Their tomato products include tomato paced and diced tomatoes which are world-renowned for their premium quality and taste.
What makes this organization so special is their continued support for their local community, their close attention to customer needs and their emphasis on environmental sustainability. Their business model highly relies on the local relationships they have with tomato growers. This relationship allows for community support and direct communication concerning the farm to processing procedure.
Each customized process guarantees that people receive their desired level of consistency and quality of diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Throughout the process, field, production, and QA teams ensure the utmost color, flavor, and texture of the tomatoes, which make them a perfect ingredient base in a wide array of products.
The attention to detail can also be traced back to the equipment that is used for processing, as the needs of the customer are taken into consideration when packing every order. In 2010, Ingomar Packing Company established an initiative to cut back on waste products and pollutants to protect the environment and continue to stay mindful of their environmental impact. They installed solar panels and have a system to minimize overall water waste.
And maybe most exciting of all, they have partnerd with an Australian company to extract the water from the tomatoes to be purified, repurposed and made available as drinking water! In a time where we are all facing historic drought condifitions, this is a monumental breakthrough. Watch this video to learn more!
We absolutely adore Ingomar Packing Company and their passion for their community and their products. Try one of their tomato products in some of our favorite recipes!
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, Stanislaus Foods. We are proud to have this family-run company as part of the tomato community!
Stanislaus Foods has been a landmark in the central valley of California for 80 years. In 1942, they first opened their doors in the heart of Modesto, California. They take pride in offering high-quality tomato products to chefs and Italian restaurants throughout the country. Their lineup includes a variety of options from whole peeled and diced tomatoes, purees, and pastes to fully prepared pizza and pasta sauces.
“You can’t make good wine from bad grapes,” is a motto that the Cortopassi’s stand by in their effort to make great-tasting tomato products. They took the values instilled from their Italian parents and grandparents. Hard work, doing your best, not cutting corners, and keeping your word are just a few of the “real Italian” values they brought into their business. As a family-owned business, they make it a point to work with farmers who share their passion and beliefs.
To ensure consistency in their products, each load of tomatoes is evaluated to determine key flavor characteristics. Their Raw Product Lab is unique to Stanislaus Foods and allows them to make necessary adjustments to continue to offer the same great-tasting product in each and every can. We are OBSESSED with their Basil Room! It’s always our favorite part of their tour.
Welcome a piece of the Cortopassi family into your home by trying one of their traditional Italian recipes.
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, Kagome. We are proud to have them on board as part of the tomato community!
Kagome may have started small, but they have increased their reach to have a collaboration with growers, partners and customers to cultivate a passion for food that now spans the globe. While they produce a colorful variety of fruit and vegetable products, they have never strayed from founder Ichitaro Kanie’s principles of making great tasting foods that are true to nature.
The term “Kagome” translates to basket weave pattern in Japanese which is a reference to the lattice baskets used to harvest produce. Kanie first began growing Western crops, including tomatoes in 1899, and started producing purees and sauces a few years later. In 1989, Kagome opened for business in Los Banos California, and emphasized creating customized sauces for U.S. restaurants. In 1993, they expanded to include an internal research and development center and have continued to expand their reach and offerings. Kagome now operates 15 facilities in 10 countries offering a wide variety of products.
Kagome utilizes current agricultural research to increase the overall quality of their crops and improve the efficiency of their production process. Along with this they put an emphasis on creating unique and flavorful sauces by bringing a chef into their research and development team. Their products include pizza and pasta sauce, salsa, BBQ sauce, cocktail sauce, along with a variety of Asian sauces and other flavor enhancing toppings.
The Kagome Way
This is an all-encompassing phrase that they use to describe the pride they have in the company. They value customers, long-term relationships, elite quality, food safety, and commitment to their communities. Their team displays respect, passion, grit, teamwork and commitment every day, and holds themselves to the highest standards. Watch this video to learn more.
Welcome a piece of Kagome into your home by trying a few of their tasty recipes.
Get the scoop on TPWC member, Pacific Coast Producers. We are proud to have this family-run company as part of the tomato community!
Pacific Coast Producers started in 1971 with their first location in Lodi, California. Since then they have expanded their company, and offerings, with locations across the entire Pacific Coast. They were founded by farmers as an agricultural cooperative. Their passion for growing quality crops allows them to work with other farmers that share the same values. Pacific Coast Producers have made it their mission to meet the brand requirements of their customers, while providing world class service at a competitive price.
Pacific Coast Producers make a variety of canned fruit products, along with an entire line of tomato goods. Their tomatoes are offered as whole, diced, crushed, or pureed, as well as pizza sauce, marinara, salsa, enchilada sauce. Along with several products to choose from, they also have organic products, ensuring that every customer has what they need to be successful in their own business.
The majority of tomato growers are in the Woodlake and Los Banos areas of California and 95% of their tomatoes are grown within a 17 mile radius of the Woodlake processing plant. This close proximity allows them to make quality tomato products at peak freshness. It can take less than 24 hours to take a tomato from a vine in the field to a finished product ready for use.
At Tomato Wellness, we help with their annual Registered Dietitian Tour every year, but because of the lockdown, you can now get to experience the tour virtual: The Heart of California Tour 2020
Here are just a few recipes highlighting their quality products.
After 15 years, Aaron Barcellos the Chairman of the Tomato Products Wellness Council is stepping down. We thank him for all of his efforts on behalf of the whole USA tomato products industry. We have dealt with a number of highs and lows and the state of the TPWC is bigger and stronger than ever. A big part of that is thanks to Aaron and our whole board of voluntary members that do the heavy lifting for the whole industry. Without this collaborative effort, the USA tomato products industry would not be as strong as it is today. 
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